Night Huntress Drabbles
by BlackArtWhiteVoice
Summary: A series of drabbles featuring the different couples. VladxLayla MencheresxKira BonesxCat SpadexDenise Feel free to hit me up with any ideas you have!
1. Chapter 1

Okay so I absolutely love the Night Huntress series and dearly wish there was a bigger fan base so we could have more stories. Unfortunately, that is not to be. So I decided I wanted to make a series of drabbled. I tend to lean more toward Vlad and Mencheres but I'll probably write Spade and Bones as well. I would like to hear any ideas for drabbles anyone may have. I also have some bigger story ideas I'll be throwing around. If they get enough feedback I'll turn them into novels. I hope to hear from anyone who is in this fandom and fingers crossed I'll have some drabbled ready for you soon.

I will happily do drabbles for all couples except Ian because i havent read his book yet. i cant write the characters if i havent read them yet. I'll add any ideas you send for Ian to a list that if i ever read his book i will make them then.

If you request a couple please send me a prompt or quote. something for me to write about with that couple.


	2. The Wooing of the Pharoah

Hello everyone! My first drabble, fingers crossed it will turn out to everyone's liking. This one is for Mencheres and Kira and I'm thinking of doing two more one shots off this one to make it a trilogy, let me know what you think! If you have any requests then feel free to drop them in. I'm always taking requests, if I don't believe I will be able to write it for whatever reason I will tell you up front. Please enjoy the story! Obviously nothing belongs to me, all of this goes to Jeaniene Frost!

"One of these days I really need to introduce you properly to Tina." Mencheres glanced up from his desk at the very welcome interruption. Kira leaned against the doorjamb, her blonde hair now shoulder length. He enjoyed running his fingers through it while they lay intertwined after a bout of lovemaking, maybe he could convince her not to cut it any time soon. Kira looked stunning no matter her hair length or style but he knew that he would have a very difficult time controlling himself if she were to grow it out. Yanking himself back from his heated train of thought, Mencheres focused on her previous statement.

"Yes. I would like to meet her as well; we didn't truly meet last time. She is your family and I want no ill will about our relationship to cause problems with you two. When would you like to set up a day?" Kira smiled at his easy agreement, gliding further into the room as she thought.

"It doesn't have to be now, there isn't really a rush on it but I would prefer to introduce you two before the end of next month? Would that work for you?" As she spoke he closed the book that had previously been in his lap, placing it on his desk, before opening his arms. Taking the unspoken invitation Kira shifted carefully into his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck in a loose hug.

Mencheres stroked her spine as he mentally went over his schedule, "That shouldn't be a problem, if you'll ask your sister when she is available after this month I will rearrange my schedule to fit." Kira kissed his throat in appreciation, as her lips traveled down to the beginning of his chest a niggling curiosity tugged at Mencheres, prompting him to ask before she could distract him into forgetting his query.

"Was there any reason behind wanting me to meet your sister besides simply for the sake of meeting her? I have no problem with meeting her of course, but your timing in asking is curious." Kira hesitated in her kisses for a second before dragging her mouth up to his lips. After a long thorough kiss she answered, "There is a reason, actually. Tina wants to meet you to make sure that you're treating me right." Before Mencheres could speak Kira rushed on in defense of her sisters actions. "She just wants to be sure that I'm okay. Once she meets you then she wont worry as much. I tell her all about you but…"

Mencheres could smell the scent of distress rolling off Kira, before she could work herself up he cut off her unnecessary defending. "You don't need to explain further, your sister loves you and only wishes to be sure that you are well taken care of. I would wish to meet anyone that Gorgon chose to date for the same reason. "Even after his reassurance there was still a slight scent of worry around Kira, confusing Mencheres until she spoke up again.

"It's not only that… When I first dated Pete I use to gush about him all the time too, but Tina got bad vibes off of him just like I did when I finally stopped suppressing my instincts. After the clusterfuck that Pete turned into Tina just wants to make sure she doesn't get the same feelings off of you…" Understanding clicked in him immediately, Tina had watched her sister be trapped in an abusive relationship. It was only natural for her to want to meet him to be sure that he wasn't of the same ilk. Feeling her nerves practically running wild, he stroked his power over her in a comforting caress. He made sure to send calm and understanding through the bond to make her see that he truly didn't take offense.

"Your sister is only trying her best to watch out for you and I appreciate that loyalty. I would never fault it, especially after everything you two have been through. I will meet her and as you said once she gets to know me, she will know that she has nothing to fear of me harming you in any way." Kira's eyes had a pink sheen before she quickly blinked it back.

"Thank you for understanding, not many men would. Then again, you are in a class all your own and you always have been. I have no doubt that you and Tina will get along great in no time. You already treat me better than anyone else ever has." The compliment warmed him throughout, but her last sentence reminded him of one of the few regrets he has had since beginning his relationship with Kira.

Sensing his flash of regret, Kira perked up in concern, "What's wrong?" Looking into her eyes, he knew he could get lost in them if he allowed himself to. His beautiful dark lady's scent was now sour with worry; this was not something he could let continue so he answered.

"I was just remembering when we first began our relationship." Sensing a flash of hurt from her that he regretted their relationship he quickly continued on, "I don't regret anything about our relationship itself, I just wish that I could have taken more time like you deserved. I wanted to spend months dragging out my courtship of you, woo you until you felt like the most desirable woman on the planet, getting to know you better than you know yourself, but I was under the misguided impression that I was going to die soon. If I had known what my stop in vision truly meant I would have taken my time like I wanted to."

By the end of his explanation Kira had relaxed again, the previous hurt gone much to his relief. "I can see why you would want that, but I'm happy with how things turned out. Yes, it was rushed but I have you and that is all I need to be happy. You might have missed out on the whole wooing thing but honestly I was already wooed once and it didn't exactly end well. Maybe it's better that we skipped that step." The mention of her ex-husband made a cold rage flash through him before he could stop it. The thought that someone had so carelessly thrown away the chance that he hadn't had, to show this woman just how much she was worth and earning her heart, made his blood boil. It was a very good thing for him that her abuser was already dead, for if he wasn't Mencheres would have made absolutely certain that the rest of his miserable life would have been very miserable.

Sensing his flash of rage, Kira stroked his chest to calm him. In an attempt to steer the conversation back to more stable waters she said, "What about you?" Mencheres snapped out of his rage, looking curiously at her. Reading the question from his face she quickly elaborated. "You said you wish you could have wooed me, but has anyone ever wooed you?" The question was so absurd to him that his mind took a few extra seconds to process it. Of course no one had wooed him, generally speaking the males were the ones doing the wooing not being wooed.

Kira must have read that thought from his expression because she immediately scowled before swinging up to straddle him, effectively trapping him in his chair and leaving him nowhere to look but at her.

"I'm calling bullshit, just because you're a man doesn't mean you are any less deserving of being wooed. From what you've mentioned so far about your previous relationship it was similar to mine, abusive." He opened his mouth to object only for her to hush him with a finger pressed to his lips before she pushed on. "Just because it wasn't a physical abuse doesn't mean it wasn't abuse. That woman did things to hurt you with no other purpose than wanting your pain, whether emotional or mental that is abuse."

Once again Mencheres finds himself speechless at Kira's words, seeing how surprised he is makes Kira feel like someone was trying to claw her heart out with silver. How much did he have to endure under that bitch all the while convincing himself that what she was doing wasn't abuse? How many times did she betray his trust and use the information he gave her to hurt him? Kira felt her chest rumble with a primal growl, here he was saying how she deserved better but he had no thought for how poorly he was treated for centuries! Making a decision she straightened in his lap, bringing his attention to her once again. He had felt her chest shiver with the repressed growl and he wasn't ashamed to say that her bone deep want to protect him made his long dead heart dance happily in its cage. Sensing that she was about to speak, he gave her his full attention.

"Never again, you and I both were abused by our spouses but neither of us will ever have to fight through that pain again. If wooing me means that much to you then, okay." Surprise flashed across his face before a smile started to grow, it wasn't the same as him wooing her into his bed but it would have to do. His smile froze in disbelief when she continued. "But I'm going to woo you too. We have both been emotional hell, you for considerably longer than I was. It physically hurts me to think of everything you went through, all the times you were cruelly rejected for no other reason than she wanted to see you bleeding on the inside. I can't change what happened in the past, but I can love you so thoroughly that it makes the pain you use to feel a hazy memory in the back of your mind. If you think I deserve to be swept off my feet then you'll have to let me return the favor. I want to shower you with affection and love like you should have been for the last four and half millennia."

Mencheres felt a tight knot in his chest at her speech, here sat an extraordinary woman who wanted nothing more than to try to heal his past hurts, made by the one who he had trusted above all others despite knowing that she would betray him many times. As for her declaration, on one hand his honor rankled at the thought of his love taking care of him, it should be him taking care of her after all… However, the other part of him wanted to bask in her affections, it wanted to sit back and let her drown him in her love because, he was man enough to admit, he had desperately wanted this emotional connection for the better part of two millennia. He had been reaching out only to be painfully rebuffed for so long now that the thought of what Kira was offering was enough to bring tears to his eyes. His heart had once again been captured, only this time he had no doubts that it would be taken care of better than it ever had been, even better than when he had been the one to hold it before Petra. How many times had he laid awake beside his wife and wished with a soul deep ache for Petra to show him even the slightest scrap of affection without it being a ruse to hurt him? Would it be so bad to allow Kira to pursue him in the same manor he himself wished to pursue her in?

For just a moment, he allowed himself to picture it. He could give her all of the love he had in his heart and she would give hers back to him. She would soak him in the love he had craved for most if not all of his life. The picture was so beautifully perfect that he felt his very soul ache for it. Decision made, he opened his eyes to stare directly into Kira's patiently waiting face. Pulling her down into a kiss that couldn't possibly convey everything that he was feeling but was as good a place to start as any, he responded, "If that is what you wish, then that is what shall be."

Kira beamed above him, her smile lighting up his world as brightly as the sun outside the house, her warmth spreading through him from his head down to his toes. The last of his doubts were swept away under the sight of her happiness. She was that happy over the opportunity to show her love for him, he would ask for nothing else from the gods for as long as he lived. 


	3. Kira's Surprise

Hello again! I decided to do another chapter for Mencheres and Kira after all. I liked where the first one was going so figured, why not? I'm thinking of doing one for Vlad and Leila next, opinions and thoughts would be appreciated.

Kira laid back on bed, mentally noting that it was really too big for just her. Her mind whirled as she tried to organize her thoughts, all of the chaos was centered on the conversation she and Mencheres had the previous week about wooing. Kira could tell that he already had several ideas of what he wanted to do for her, which left her feeling off balance. She wanted to treat him with the same devotion that he showered on her but while she had all the desire to do so, she had no clue what to do for him. Anything he wanted materially, he could get for himself and that defeated the purpose of showing him his worth to her. Releasing an unnecessary sigh Kira continued to ponder what exactly she could do for a mega-master vampire who had seen and done so much more than she ever had. As she continued pondering, being free to do so with her ever constant shadow out on an errand for Bones, she heard Gorgon call out into the mansion.

"Kira? That is the third time you've sigh in the last hour, would you like to discuss what is bothering you?" Kira winced in the realization that she had been that obvious before shaking off her embarrassment. She was coming up with nothing so far and Gorgon had known Mencheres for longer than she had been alive, should she ask Gorgon for ideas? Or would he spill her plans to Mencheres? Making a snap decision, Kira slid to her feet and began striding toward where Gorgon waited for her reply.

Gorgon was standing in the dining room, concern shown in his eyes when they focused on her. Not wanting him to worry she quickly asked her question before she could lose her nerve. "If I wanted to surprise Mencheres how would I do it?" Gorgon blinked, a clear sign she had caught him off guard, before a slow smile spread across his mouth.

"So that is what has had you so distracted, I thought it might have been Mencheres not being here but this makes more sense given your independent personality. Speaking frankly, Kira he would adore anything you do for him simply because you are the one doing it. The hard truth of the matter is that for most of his life, Mencheres has had very few people who care for him just for him. People don't usually do things for him because they know he can do it himself. You want to do things for him because you care; I am of the same mind. He has been so long without that care that any amount of true affection is treasured by him. I apologize, but I truly have no advice to give you on this topic."

Kira sighed once again, she had worried that would be her answer. She knew that Mencheres would like anything she did, but she wanted it to be really special. Seeing her conflicted facial expression Gorgon spoke up, "You could call your sister or invite her over to discuss ideas? If you wish I could even go get her for you?" Kira blinked, all of that thinking and she never considered to ask Tina. She began pulling her phone out only to stop mid motion when she remembered a crucial reason that calling Tina right now was a bad idea.

"That is a good idea and thank you for the offer but she is out on a date today. Ever since Mencheres healed her she has been going out and doing everything that she use to not be able to do. I don't want to interrupt her first date in years for this, but I don't have any female friends who I can ask either." Gorgon's smile warmed at Kira's careful consideration of her little sister's feelings, yes this woman was perfect for his sire in every way. It was long overdue for his old friend to have someone who cared as deeply as this woman did. He may not be able to help with the planning but maybe…

"You could also call Leila. You two seemed to get along well enough when you last met and she would have a unique perspective due to her being able to relive peoples pasts. Maybe she would have a suggestion?" While it was a good idea, Kira was a little weary. She didn't really know Leila that well, or Vlad for that matter. Would she mind Kira calling to ask her for help planning a surprise when she didn't know Mencheres? He had mentioned that Vlad was one of his oldest friends, maybe if Leila couldn't offer advice he could?

More and more questions whirled around her head, trying to slow her thoughts down enough to be logical Kira spat out the first question that came to mind. "I don't have Leila's phone number, how would I get a hold of her?" Okay not the question she had wanted to ask, but still important.

"I have had to call Vlad for Mencheres before, you could call him and then request to speak to Leila." Seeing her hesitance he threw in, "If you're worried about not knowing Leila that well, I can assure you that if she chooses not to help, Vlad would be another good source of information thanks to his long standing friendship with Mencheres." Seeing no other options Kira nodded her acceptance. "I would greatly appreciate it if you could give me the number. With any luck Leila will have an idea and I won't have to ask Vlad."

When Vlad had seen the number for Mencheres flashing on his phone a hundred different worst case scenarios went through his mind. He answered bracing himself for bad news, only to be thoroughly surprised by the voice of Kira. If Kira calling him wasn't enough to confuse him, her request certainly did the job.

"Hi, I'm sorry to bother you, but may I speak with Leila?" Vlad sat up in his bed, glancing over at his peacefully sleeping lover. Reluctant to wake her he spoke lowly into the phone, "She is asleep, is there something I can help you with?" He hadn't interacted with Kira much, but what he did know of her didn't worry him. However, he had no inkling of why she would be calling him unless something was wrong, but if something was wrong then why would she request Leila? Carefully standing as to not wake his lover, he swept into the adjoining room so he could speak without worry of his volume.

Seating himself by the fireplace, Vlad waited for Kira to come out with what she needed, she wouldn't call him unless that was the case, after all. It took a few seconds for her to respond, but it surprised him no less than her previous question had. "Crap I forgot about the time difference, I'm sorry if I woke you. I just wanted help coming up with a surprise for Mencheres and Leila is the only girl I know who could help." Well he certainly hadn't expected that, before he could ask for more details he heard the sounds of Leila stirring in the other room. Biting back a sigh he responded, "No need for apologies, Leila is already waking up. I will give you to her once she is ready."

From the other room her voice drifted with a sleepy rasp, obviously hearing her name, "Vlad? Who's on the phone?" Leila was awake which left no reason for him to stay in the sitting room, he moved back to their room before he answered. "Kira called and is asking for you." He watched in amusement as his lover stared in confusion, not expecting that any more than he had been. "Mencheres's Kira?" For half a second he debated answering with a sarcastic remark only to decide against it, Leila had only just woken up so he would give her a pass on the obvious answer to her question. He could see her wince, even half asleep she knew that question was redundant. Smiling at her, he handed off his phone before wrapping himself around her back again. He wouldn't admit it out loud but his curiosity was peaked, he rested his head on her shoulder as Leila began to speak.

"Kira? How can I help you?" From his vantage point he could hear Kira hesitate, "I'm sorry about interrupting your sleep. I'm trying to plan something for Mencheres, but I don't have any ideas what I actually want to do. I was hoping to brainstorm ideas with you, but if you're tired then please go back to sleep. I would completely understand." Leila glanced at the phone in complete bewilderment, her thoughts slid across his almost word for word what he had been thinking himself. Why is she calling me for this? The only relationship I've ever had is Vlad, and he is so far away from normal that I doubt I'll have any useful advice for her. Remembering that he could hear her thoughts she shot him an apologetic look, sorry I meant that in the best way possible. Vlad chuckled, he knew what she had meant and she was correct. Their relationship was far from ordinary, but he could tell from her facial expression that she would do her best to help even if she had no basis for understanding to work from.

"It's fine. I'm always up for a good brainstorm although I should warn you that I have no experience in this either so it'll be like the blind leading the blind. So do you have any idea what kind of surprise you want to do?" After receiving a sheepish negative Leila sighed through her nose. _When did I become someone people ask romantic advice from?_ Vlad stifled a chuckle in her shoulder, throwing a dark look at him she returned her attention to the phone.

"Well there's always the classics. Going somewhere romantic, setting up a room in your house all nice like and having a night in, obviously dinner isn't an option for you two…" Her ending statement roused another chuckle from her shoulder, rolling her shoulder to push Vlad off so she could focus on Kira's reply. She wasn't use to anyone calling her for help, especially with something personal like this, she would do her best to help although it probably wouldn't be much…

"I thought about those, but none of them really jumped out at me. He can buy anything he wants so presents are difficult, from what I've seen he doesn't really have a preference for where we are, and I haven't found anything that he really likes to do. I want the surprise to be personal to him, to mean something, but I have no idea how to do that…" Leila could hear her frustration through the phone, looking into Vlad's eyes she answered sarcastically.

"Yeah, I more than understand how hard it is to surprise rich people. I considered trying to surprise Vlad on the return of one of his trips, but quickly binned the idea. His people can't keep a secret for shit and I would've had to have had help to set up what I planned." Vlad's eyebrows launched into his hair, his interest immediately peaked at this bit of knowledge. Leila replied in her thoughts as to not confuse Kira.

_When we first started dating I had planned on waiting for you in your room with candles, melted chocolate, and whipped cream while wearing nothing but your coat. I was gathering the supplies when your people started questioning why I need them, one of them guessed by how red my face got and began trying to bury me in different things to use instead of chocolate. It had already gotten around a portion of your people and I knew you would catch it from their minds before you even walked inside so I called it off. Made an excuse to the cook and they all dropped it, none of them have brought it back up since._ She ended her thoughts with a shrug.

Vlad's eyes burned green at the imagery Leila had so perfectly painted for him, a slow smile curled his lips before he slanted his mouth over hers, taking his time to rile her up before pulling back. Standing up, he went in search of his pants. Seeing her dazed and confused look at his sudden departure Vlad explained as he slipped on a shirt. "You should have gone on with your plan, my staff know how to keep things like that a secret, but even if they hadn't I still would have shown my appreciation. Thoroughly and slow enough to have you begging for release." As he pulled his pants on he could hear her confusion over his getting dressed at such a late hour even over her new arousal.

"Your plan was a good one and you know how I hate to be wasteful of anything of good caliber. You have until I come back to help Kira with her plight. After that, you are mine." With that last statement, he turned and swept out of the room with his feet still bare. Leila watched the door in astonishment before the voice from the phone brought her back to the present, flushing when she realized that she had completely missed whatever Kira had said. "Sorry Kira, Vlad distracted me. We only have a few minutes at most to think of something, so we need to hurry. Have you considered something to do with his culture? Its not often that he gets to experience things from Egypt right? That might be a good place to start."

Whatever Kira's reply was, Leila didn't notice it because just then Vlad walked back into the room. _You didn't even give me a full minute to discuss ideas with her!_ He shot her one of his smiles that promised hours of pleasure, "I never promised to give you a minute. I said you would have until I came back, I never put a time limit on when I would return." Cursing to herself Leila quickly spoke before Kira could say anything else, "Hey I really have to go now, if you want you can call in six hours and we can talk more."

"Eight." Looking at Vlad in confusion, Leila opened her mouth to ask only to be cut off. "Eight hours, possibly ten." Surprise and lust rolled through Leila at the look of dark promise in his eyes. "Kira, make that ten hours." Before she could say anything else Vlad was in front of her, she could vaguely hear Kira thanking her, but Vlad's hand quickly snapped out and ended the call, tossing the phone to the side before removing the whipped cream and strawberries from behind his back. "Now then, I have some minor alterations to your plan.."

Kira rolled the idea around in her head, it sounded better than anything she had come up with that's for sure. Decision made, she thanked Leila, not mentioning her sudden rush to end the conversation, and hung up before she could be an unwilling audience to a heated moment between Leila and Vlad. Stifling a chuckle, Kira started toward the laptop to do her research, apparently Vlad was just as insatiable as Mencheres was.

It took over two weeks of careful planning but with Gorgon, Leila and Vlad's help the surprise was set. After she had waited the ten hours to call Leila back, they fine tuned their plan. Vlad had offered both vital information on Ancient Egyptian customs as well as offering to pull Mencheres away for a day or two to give her time to get everything ready. While overjoyed that it was all coming together, Kira was curious why Vlad was helping so readily, she should have expected his reply. "Mencheres is my honorary sire and I want to see him happy, your plan will most certainly achieve that. What is required of me isn't a massive obligation so there is truly no reason not to offer my aid." Kira felt warm at how loyal Vlad was to Mencheres, she found herself very glad he had Vlad through what his last clusterfuck of a relationship. Before she could thank him for his help he went on, replacing her appreciation with humor. "Also, Leila told me that she would make it worth my effort should I help you. I would have even if she hadn't, but only a fool turns away from what she offered and I am no fool."

Fighting a chuckle at the memory, Kira raced around the room getting everything into position. For the most part she stuck to the traditional candle lit bedroom with a bath waiting for both of them, but she added something extra. Vlad had mentioned that in Ancient Egypt poetry had been big in the courting scene, Kira hadn't written poetry since she was in grade school, but for Mencheres she had given it her best shot. Worst case scenario, he hated the poetry and she could salvage the evening with blistering sex, but she hoped that it wouldn't backfire on her.

Just as she was debating burning the poetry and sticking with the other plan, the sound of a car approaching broke her out of her thoughts. Now or never, Kira took an unnecessary breath and moved to sit on the rim of the tub. She could see where the slip of poetry waited on his pillow, giving her a perfect vantage point to see his reaction to it. She could see immediately if she needed to do damage control or not. Kira listened as Gorgon met Mencheres at the door, greeting him before heading out for his errands. That had been part of their plan, no matter how nice Gorgon was Kira didn't want him overhearing any of what was said. Whether it was going to be a humiliating rebuff or an extremely personal moment between them was yet to be seen.

The bedroom door opened, Mencheres came gliding in with a slight haste to his steps. Kira watched with her heart in her throat as his eyes landed on the note, walking the few paces to the bed before he picked it up to read it. _Moment of truth time_. Biting her lip, Kira waited for the change in his expression. His emotional wall was still up from his outing so she couldn't find out from their bond. As the seconds ticked by she grew more and more nervous. He wasn't reacting at all, why wasn't he reacting? Did he hate it like she thought he would? Dread coiled in her stomach, rising from the tub she moved into the room, "I'm sorry if you don't like it, I was never very good at poetry in school and I doubt I got better with age. I-" Her next sentence was cut off, Mencheres had crossed into the room and wrapped her into a tight embrace.

Her face was pushed against his throat, his arms like steel bars keeping her pinned to his chest. Kira waited for him to speak, still unsure of his reception to the gift. Scenting her unease and doubt Mencheres pulled back enough to cup her face before capturing her mouth in a soul searing kiss. The last of her doubt over his liking the poetry disappeared when he pulled down his wall, allowing his emotions to flow freely over her own.

He wasn't talking because he had no words to describe what he was feeling. She could feel his gratitude as well as his overwhelming love. She made a mental note to thank Vlad for his suggestion of poetry. If that was all it took to make him feel this blissfully happy then she would do her best to write so much poetry he grew sick of it, the poem wasn't anything special even after working on it for the last week, but it seemed to be more than enough to him. After she finished this surprise maybe she should start another poem, just to see him this happy again.

After a few more minutes of passionate kissing Mencheres pulled back to look into her eyes, to her shock they had a pink sheen over them. Quickly reaching out to swipe below his eye and catch the tear she looked at him with alarm. He swept his emotions along hers again to reassure her that he was okay, again she felt his gratitude, but there was something else there that she wasn't familiar with. It was a deep ache, but she had no idea where it came from or what caused it.

"I wont ask how you knew about my peoples custom of gifting poetry to potential lovers, there is only one vampire who still walks the earth that would know that. The same vampire that called me unexpectedly asking for a favor, that inevitably pulled me away long enough for you to do this." Kira smiled sheepishly, nodding to his unasked question.

A smile tugged his lips as amusement threaded through their bond, "I never would have guessed you would ask Vlad for help with this, but I am very happy with the outcome. It has been centuries since I have had indulged in anything of my culture. This was a welcome reminder of some of the happier times in my younger life."

Suddenly, Kira understood the previous ache. He hadn't had anything from his home in what was probably longer than Vlad had lived. Her gift was the first in a millennia to adhere to his cultures rules of courtship instead of modern day ones. How much must it hurt? To know your old home has changed so drastically that you wouldn't recognize anything if you were to go home? That there was no one still alive besides him from his time as pharaoh?

Kira remembered that her surprise wasn't over yet and with a smile she slid her hands up into his hair, tugging on the hair at the base of his neck. His eyes changed to a familiar brilliant green, his hands slid around her back trailing down to her hips. "The poem isn't the only part of the surprise, come on. I promised to spoil you didn't I? Well prepare to be spoiled within an inch of your life. "

Gently separating Kira intertwined their fingers before tugging him back toward the bathroom where the tub waited. She watched as he took his first glance around, and froze once more. Kira had read that Egypt greatly valued flowers and their meanings. She had found the Egyptian national flower as well as the one that meant everlasting love and ordered them to be delivered while he was away. The air smelled sweetly of pollen and a scent unique to the flowers. Mencheres deeply inhaled, eyes closing as he took in the familiar scents. Kira had placed the potted flowers carefully around the bathroom in prime spots so they would receive enough sunlight while still being optimal viewing positions.

By the look of rapture on his face, she could safely say she had hit the nail on the head with her guess that he would appreciate their smells. In the next blink Kira found herself once again in his arms only this time his hands were quickly shedding her of her clothes. His mouth captured her own before she could question him, once they were both naked he lifted her into the steaming bath she had drawn before lowering himself behind her.

"You know, this wasn't part of my plan but I think I like this better." Mencheres chuckled huskily against he ear, "And what was this plan you hatched Dark Lady?" Kira felt his mouth brushing the shell of her ear, how could he expect her to think when he did that?! Another chuckle before he pulled back, allowing her mind to work enough to answer his question.

"I was planning on washing your hair while you soaked, drying you off and then brushing it out before dragging you to the bed to have my wicked way with you. Or for you to have your wicked way with me, I'm not terribly picky on that part."

"You can still do all of that while joining me in the bath, if you cant reach something I will be happy to assist you." He proved his point by using his power to levitate the shampoo into her hand. Kira turned around so she was straddling his lap, her knees on either side of his hips. Seeing his serene smile made something in her turn into a puddle of goo, her surprise had been wildly successful and she couldn't wait to start planning the next one. Focusing back onto the present, she squirted some shampoo into her hand before gesturing for him to lean forward. She should have expected his next action, but she his easy capitulation up until this point had made her relax.

Mencheres surged forward to capture her mouth once more, taking his time in exploring every inch of it before doing it over again. Kira had to remind herself of what she was doing twice before she managed to bring her soapy hands to his hair. Starting at his scalp she gently massaged it in, a thrill shot through her at his rumbling groan. As she worked her way through his hair, undoing all the knots as she went, she watched as her older than dirt vampire seemed to turn to putty in her hands. His torso leaned forward as if wanting to press every inch of his skin against hers, but his head leaned back against her hands. Once his hair was thoroughly soaped she took care in washing the suds out of it, placing her hand over his eyes to guard them. She could feel his amusement over her careful ministrations, her own mouth twitched up in shared happiness. "Yes I know you're a bad ass older than dirt vampire and you can handle a little soap in your eyes, but I don't care. I refuse to let anything hurt you while I am fully capable of preventing it, even if It is something as minor as this. Nothing is going to hurt you as long as I'm here to stop it."

Mencheres felt as his heart twisted in his chest at her declaration, gods this woman would be the death of him. But, as his hands pulled her down into another kiss that conveyed only the bare minimum of his emotions, he found himself thinking, what a way to go.


	4. Mencheres's Surprise

Hey guys! I don't know if anyone will be interested in these drabbles, but here is the third in the series of Mencheres and Kira. I'm thinking of writing a Vlad and Leila one that goes over when Mencheres asked Leila for help. I think Leila would be so confused why everyone was suddenly asking her for help in romantic ideas. What do you think? Anyway, hope you enjoy the drabble, please review afterwards to let me know how I'm doing!

It was a sunny day out by the pool, Kira sat basking in the sunlight and lightly dozing under its warmth. She was waiting for Mencheres to finish his top secret errand that he refused to tell her about until he finished it. The topic had been brought up a week ago by Mencheres, he told Kira that he would have to leave her alone for a few days to go and retrieve something. She of course didn't mind but when she asked what all he was retrieving he told her that it was a surprise and she would get nothing else out of him. Although, he had told her she was welcome to try her best to extract the information from him. Which is exactly what she did for the rest of the days until his departure, to both of their enjoyment. It was now the day he had said he would be back and her curiosity had only grown since his leaving. What could he be setting up that required he be gone so long? Her thoughts were interrupted by the very person who had been their main focus.

Kira felt as his familiar power washed over her, his own personal homing beacon. Debating for a moment, she decided to stay reclining. His surprise might be something he needs to sneak past her and it was no fun if she learned what it was earlier than planned. He had gone through so much already for whatever he was planning so it wouldn't be right of her to accidentally spoil it. While she had joked about extracting the information from him, she truly didn't mind the thought of a surprise from him. It made her giddy to think that he was setting something up solely for her. After her last disaster of a relationship she had never hoped to find someone who cared about her enough to do things like that. So as long as he didn't go overboard with the gifts Kira had no problem enjoying his attentions.

The power nudged at her and she could feel a slight alarm along the bond that she shared with Mencheres. He had found her, but apparently her current position, prone and lying on the concrete, worried him. No wonder, she didn't have a heartbeat for him to track so he couldn't know if she was merely relaxing or if she had passed out from the sun. Quickly she sat up, not wanting him to worry needlessly. She felt as the alarm faded and his power receded, she could hear as he started toward her at a steady clip. She could smell his impatience from her spot and it made her grin impishly. This was the first time he had been away from her for more than a few hours since the debacle with Radje. It appears that he had grown accustomed to her presence, not that she could comment. The minute he had left she had felt lonely, to her disbelief. She used to live alone and days would go by without her socializing outside of work, and yet here she sat feeling lonely after only a few minutes without Mencheres. Their relationship had changed both of them, that was for sure.

In the second it took Mencheres to come around the front of the house Kira had stood up and linked her hands behind her back, rocking back on her heels in happiness. Coming to a halt a few inches from her Mencheres opened his arms invitingly, an invite which she quickly took advantage of. Flinging her weight against his chest she wrapped herself around him before resting her head in the crook of his shoulder, smelling his now familiar and welcome scent filling her nostrils. She felt his chest vibrate with a chuckle at her enthusiasm before his arms wrapped tightly around her back, succeeding in pinning her to his chest. An inward breath near her forehead told her that he had missed her scent just as much as she had missed his.

"While I don't regret leaving since it was necessary for your surprise, I do wish I wouldn't have had to stay gone for so long." The words were a puff of air against her ear, making her squirm before he released her back onto her feet.

"I completely agree with you on that, I'm not use to needing anyone but Tina, it's a learning curve for both of us." Kira found herself reluctant to completely part with him, even after they separated from their hug her hands stayed around his shoulders to play with his silky hair. One of these days she would have to see if he would let her brush it out for him, she doubted he would let her braid it so she would settle for brushing it.

She could feel curiosity over the bond before Mencheres spoke, "Why are you out here in the sun? While you are strong for a new vampire, you are still young. Your skin has already developed a burn from laying how you were." Even as he mentioned it she could feel the burnt skin pulling slightly on her back and neck, both fully exposed due to the swimsuit she was wearing. She must have lost track of time while she was dozing, it was endearing that he worried about her, but she had to remind him every now and then that she was an adult and could handle her own health.

"I actually came out to swim, but the sun made me drowsy so the plan changed to taking a nap. I must have lost track of time, the burn isn't too bad. You don't have to worry so much you know? I did watch out for myself for over a decade without any help." She made sure to put affection into her tone toward the end. She had learned that Mencheres was very sensitive to changes in mood. He seemed to expect her to lash out at him over the smallest things, if she thought any deeper on it Kira knew it all tied into his ex-wife and if she started thinking about what she did to Mencheres over the years there was no way Kira would be able to stop herself from growling. Its fine, she reminded herself, after all he is with you now and you will never treat him like that. She didn't know what she had, but I do and I will cherish him how he should have been cherished for the past four millennia.

Mencheres watched as a series of emotions flitted across Kira's face, he didn't need to smell her to know she had been thinking of his ex wife although how his statement had made her think of her was lost to him. Whenever Patra crossed Kira's thoughts her scent would go sour with anger before sweetening to determination and her eyes would darken drastically with a flash of green in them before settling into that steely stare that would no doubt unsettle many in the future. He smiled down at his dark lady, yes Kira took very good care of him in every regard and he fully intended to return the favor for as long as they both shall live. Speaking of returning the favor…

"I'm sure you are curious about your surprise, let's be off so you can finally slate your curiosity." Taking his offered arm, Kira glided into step next to him as they walked back to the house. They were halfway when he stripped out of his coat before placing it over her shoulders. Sending him a curious glance she wrapped it tighter around herself. "You look ravishing in that swimsuit, but I don't want to have to punish any of the staff for acting inappropriately." He gave a little shrug of his shoulders to punctuate his statement, as if it didn't matter one way or the other to him, but Kira knew better. If he was mentioning it then it was bothering him and she wanted him to tell her those things so she could do her best to avoid doing anything that upset him. Kira sent him an exasperated smile before buttoning his coat. It was an easy enough request to fulfill and if it made him feel more at ease then she would make sure to remember that the next time she went swimming.

Dropping a kiss to her hair, Mencheres sent gratitude across their bond as they entered the house, heading upstairs to their room. If he had tried to ask Petra to cover herself she would have become enraged with him before wearing even more scandalizing dresses just to prove that she could. It was still novel to Mencheres that Kira listened to his opinions without judgment or reprimand even when his thoughts weren't something she necessarily agreed with. Case in point, he had been displeased with her for forgetting her own health in the sun, but even as she told him that he shouldn't worry over her he smelt her determination to not do so again. While she didn't always enjoy his worrying, she did take it into account and would change her actions if she deemed it necessary. Having a partner who listened to his council and didn't gift him with scorn in return was both a very new and very comforting concept; one that he would more than happily embrace for the rest of their lives.

As he stole a glance at her clad only in his coat and her swimsuit he felt a thrill roll up his spine, it had only been days since he last had her in his bed and yet it had felt like years. Another reason, one of many, that he would do his best to not be away very often. As they approached the door to their bedroom Mencheres waited in anticipation for Kira to notice the first step to his surprise waiting for them.

Kira could feel Mencheres's anticipation, but saw no reason for it. She had assumed they were stopping by their room for her to change and then head to the surprise, but maybe he wanted to make a pit stop at the bed first? He may have only been gone a few days, but that was a few days too many if she were to listen to her libido. Opening the door, Kira expected to be led to the bed with one of his soul searing kisses, but instead she pulled up short in the doorway at what waited inside.

Sitting on the bed was a Mastiff puppy with a light blue ribbon wrapped around its neck, tied into a bow behind one of its ears. The puppies attention immediately swiveled to her when she entered, its little tail beat rapidly against the bedspread, showcasing its excitement at seeing her. Before she could ask the question on the tip of her tongue, the puppy decided that it wanted to meet her right that second. With no hesitation it vaulted off the, much too high for it to land unharmed, bed. Kira felt a spear of panic before moving quickly to catch the squirming bundle. Once the puppy was safely in her arms and happily licking her face she released a sigh of relief. Upon a closer inspection Kira found a rolled up piece of paper attached to the makeshift collar. Sitting down on the bed, squirming puppy in her lap, she glanced up at Mencheres who was leaned against the now closed door with a smile on his face. Catching her eyes he gestured to the paper, an obvious directive. Shrugging Kira balanced the now obviously girl puppy in her arms while she opened the paper.

At first she didn't know what it was, it was a diagram of something but for the life of her she couldn't see what it was. She felt as Mencheres sat next to her, sensing her confusion he explained. "One of the reason I had to leave was I wanted Leila's thoughts on what I should do for your surprise. You two seem to have gotten closer over the past months, what with you two planning out my own surprise a week ago. I thought she may have some idea of what you would want and this is what we came up with. Those are the basic plans to a greenhouse in which we will grow anything you desire; fruit, vegetable, or flower. It matters none to me, if you wish to we can begin to plan a design for it today and shop for the supplies ourselves. I was reliably informed that it would be more special if we did all of this together. If you don't like it then there is no harm in telling me, I will think of somethi-."

Kira knew it was rude to interrupt him, but he seemed so unsure of her approval, she was struck speechless and had no idea how to word what she was feeling, but there was one way she could show him just how much she approved of his surprise. A garden that they build from planning all the way to actually placing everything was a perfect idea! It could be their personal space whenever they need to get away from the world. Kira's chest warmed as she launched herself at Mencheres's chest, surprising him and knocking both of them back onto the bed much to the protest of the very startled puppy.

Mencheres's previous nerves dissipated with her enthusiastic response; apparently Leila had been spot on with her idea. His mouth was captured in a scorching kiss before he could speak, Kira's hand burying themselves into his hair and lightly tugging on his scalp. Releasing a pleased sigh, he relaxed into the mattress as his dark lady ravished his mouth as if it was the last time she would get to do so. A muffled yipping made them pull back, the pup who had been previously squished between them jumped to sit alongside them.

Stifling a chuckle, Kira patted the poor pups head, "So who is this little one?" Mencheres reached out and caught her hand mid stroke, his hand completely engulfing her own. His fingers stroking along her knuckles momentarily distracted her before his voice pulled her attention back to him.

"She is the other reason my errand took so long. I have seen how you play with the Mastiffs and thought you would enjoy one of your own. All of the dogs I own are from the same line and all male to negate the risk of interbreeding. This little girl is from a similar line to the ones I own, but they share no ancestry, so if you ever chose to breed her you can without concern. I take it you enjoy both halves of your surprise?"

Kira carefully placed the puppy, which she made a mental note to name at the earliest convenience, down on the floor before straddling Mencheres, his hands coming to rest on her hips as she sat up on her knees. Her lips slid across his forehead, leaving a trail of light kisses in their wake. Another sigh wrestled from Mencheres's lungs as he enjoyed her actions to the fullest.

"I absolutely love the surprise and I can't wait to start planning everything with you, but for now I am going to show you just how much I appreciate all the thought that you put into this." As she sank down into his lap, hands sliding to remove his clothes at a brisk pace, Mencheres claimed her lips in a passionate kiss. Seeing how happy she was with his surprise made warmth roll through his no longer beating heart, as she took his collarbone in her teeth determined to leave a mark there, he made a mental note to visit Vlad and thank Leila for her suggestion at the earliest convenience.


	5. The Falling Nightmare

Hello readers! This one shot came to mind for Vlad and Leila, refusing to leave until I wrote it down.  
Vlad and Mencheres decide to teach the girls how to fly with both good and bad results.  
As always read and review with thoughts or opinions!

Leila, seeing Kira's mildly terrified look, speaks up in her most comforting tone.

"Flying is simple. You just throw yourself at the ground and miss."

Seeing Kira's scowl Leila continued, "Oh come on, its not like a fall could kill us now. The pain of broken bones is the worst that'll happen."

"You really suck at encouragement, just because you don't mind pain doesn't mean I want to feel it." Kira shivered as a breeze brushed though her hair. despite not feeling the cold. She had never liked heights, even after changing into a vampire. Looking down at the ground several floors below them, she could just see where Mencheres and Vlad stood waiting to catch them if they needed it.

Leila snorted in disbelief, "You're talking as if Mencheres would actually let you hit the ground. We both know that is just not going to happen."

Kira shot her and aggravated glance, "What, do you expect Vlad to not catch you or something?"

Shrugging, Leila glanced down where the boys were waiting, "If it proved necessary to making me learn? You bet he would. Sometime I need to tell you about our sparring matches. Now those are painful!"

Kira's irritation faded to disbelief, "You guys spar together? Why would you do that!?"

Leila shrugs, "Why wouldn't I? If I want to get use to fighting strong people then its better to do it with him since he wont kill me if I fail. There aren't many people I know who are stronger than him so he is the obvious option."

Biting her lip, Kira glanced down at Mencheres. "I don't think I could do that, even if it is for a good reason."

Both girls looked down at the sudden berating tone used by Mencheres, Leila snorted when she realized that he was lecturing Vlad about injuring her while they spar.

"Oh that is hilarious, not every day I see my husband on the receiving end of a heated lecture. Usually its me while he sits on the sidelines smirking or he is the one giving the lecture."

Kira smiled before asking, "I don't understand how you can stand being injured by your partner, I don't think any relationship with me in it would survive that."

Leila bit her lip in thought, not noticing the voices had stopped and were now listening intently, "Well for one I know that Vlad would never actually injure me outside of the gym, he flips out when I get hurt too much for him to do it himself. For two, I grew up with reliving peoples deaths or worst sins, what he dishes out are love taps compared to some of the things that I've relived. And again you are talking as if Mencheres would ever go for that, I doubt that even if you needed the training he would fight you."

Kira nodded, "Yeah, he wouldn't, but that works just fine by me." Leila rolled her eyes, "Now that you've finished stalling can we jump now?"

Kira's mouth twisted into a grimace, "If its so easy then why don't you do it first?"

Leila smirked, "Okay." Without another word of warning she spun until her back was facing the ledge and, before Kira could stop her, she back flipped off the building. Just as Leila was about to hit the pavement she felt arms catch her, looking up into the irritated gaze of Vlad she smiled.

"Hey honey, fancy seeing you here." Snorting he flew up to replace her next to Kira who looked as though she would be having a heart attack if she were still human.

"The goal of this exercise is for you to actually try to fly, not throw yourself off buildings to see how many times you can flip on the way down. Just because I will catch you is no reason for you to not take this seriously."

Leila smile turned in a frown, her previous good mood gone. "Take it easy Vlad, there's no rush to this. If you're that set on me learning to fly then you're going to have to let me hit the pavement, nothing but the fear of that pain will make me do it and I know that as long as you're here that isn't going to happen."

Scowling at her as he contemplated her words, a slow smile spread across his face as an idea struck him. Leila was immediately wary, that smile never meant anything good for her. Before she could warn him against whatever he was going to try Vlad grabbed her around the waist and flung them higher into the air, ignoring Mencheres's warning against what he had planned.

Once they stopped to hover a few thousand feet in the air he spoke. "You are correct that I will not allow you to hit the concrete, even if you will survive it, and you are unwilling to even try to catch yourself so other methods are needed." Before she could ask the obvious question, Vlad suddenly allowed them to drop.

Leila felt her heart leap to her throat as the wind pushed by them, Vlad wrapped himself around her tightly, to her confusion. That confusion disappeared when he positioned himself underneath her. "You son of a bitch, are you insane!? I wont cooperate so you're planning on letting yourself hit the ground instead of me to teach me a lesson?!" She shouted into his ear as she struggled to get loose.

She could see the buildings approaching and then she wouldn't have long before they, or rather Vlad, hit the asphalt. Vlad's voice purred next to her ear, "No, I know exactly what I'm doing. You don't fear pain so that method will not work to start your flight abilities, however you do fear MY pain. So if you don't want me to be injured then fly, fly and both of us will be pain free."

Leila cursed him as they passed the buildings top, she knew he wasn't bluffing, he never bluffed. Struggling hard to switch their positions to no avail, Leila began to panic. She never tried to fly before and he expected her to get it on the first time?! When they were only a handful of yards away from the ground she focused on her fear, on her want to protect Vlad from the extremely painful landing, and they jerked to a halt two yards from the ground.

Leila felt like passing out from relief, slowly lowering them both to the ground, she almost collapsed when her feet touched the concrete. Vlad smirked down at her, "There, see? Easy."

Mencheres had a reprimand about his tactic already on the tip of his tongue, only to stop when Leila ripped herself out of Vlad's arms. Tears clouding her vision and running down her face. Vlad's smile dropped, alarm flashed through his mind as her tears flowed. He hadn't expected her to have this big of a reaction.

Reaching out, his hand was knocked away forcibly. Leila spun on her heel, brushing the tears from her eyes hastily, before setting a brisk pace back to the house. As she walked off, she threw over her shoulder. "I hope your satisfaction is worth it to you because that and your pillow are the fucking only things you're going to be sleeping with for the next month!"

Vlad stood dumbstruck at both her words and her tears as she stormed off, his shock rooting him to the ground. Mencheres watched her leave with exasperation, he had tried to stop Vlad from this foolhardy stunt, but Vlad had persisted. Now he must pay the price for it.

Turning away to give him time to reorient himself, Mencheres faced the building where Kira still stood. He could smell her nerves from here, she must be frightened he would use the same method as Vlad to make her fly.

To put her mind at ease he spoke, "There is no need to fear, beloved. While flying is a handy tool to have, it is not a necessary one for now. If you truly do not wish to do this today then we can try another day in the future."

The previous scent of fear changed to uncertainty before settling on determination. "No, I can do this. Besides Leila was right, you won't let me get hurt. It's easy, I just have to throw myself at the ground and miss."

Mencheres smiled at her use of Leila's earlier words, "Correct on both accounts." He watched as Kira threw herself off the building, he could see her face flash with instinctual fear as she dropped. He prepared himself to catch her, as she came closer to the ground, only for her to catch herself.

Striding over to where she floated, staring at the cement in shock, he smiled. "You did it on your first try, good job." Kira flung herself into his arms, excitement overflowing out of her as she chattered to him in her excitement over flying for the first time.

"Did you see that? That was awesome! I still prefer when you fly us, but that was kind of fun too!" As she kept up a steady stream of conversation he held her to his chest and glanced up, feeling Vlad's gaze on him.

Sure enough, Vlad was looking at them, a petulant frown briefly shown across his face before he masked it behind impatience. When their eyes met Mencheres raised an eyebrow, Vlad had no right to be sullen. He had warned him that if he went through with his idea Leila would not be happy with him, but he had decided to do so anyway.

Mencheres didn't need his visions to know how Leila would react, apparently Vlad had underestimated how deeply it would effect her emotionally. Giving him a grudging nod, Vlad looked away, as much of an acknowledgment that he was right that Mencheres would ever get from him.

Pulling back from Kira, he offered her his arm as he spoke. "We should start on our way back to the house, Leila must have already reached it and is waiting for us. We don't want to keep her waiting."

Kira's excitement immediately drained into worry, taking his arm she began pulling him toward the house, worried over her new friend. "Was she okay? I couldn't see what was going on, but I saw her storm off."

Mencheres patted her hand reassuringly, "Leila is fine, she was shaken by Vlad's choice in teaching method, but physically fine. If you wish when we return you can always check on her."

Kira nodded, she had decided she would do that the second she had seen her storm off. Thinking back on Vlad's method made her stomach roll uncomfortably. His way of making her fly may have been effective, but it was wrong. Using her love for him and her fear of him being hurt to make her fly was a horrible thing to do and, if the grimace on his face was any indication, he was dearly regretting it now.

Refocusing on Mencheres, Kira cuddled into his side as his arm tightened briefly on her own. Laying her head on his shoulder as they walked, she was deeply grateful that Mencheres hadn't decided to try that kind of tactic with her, she probably would have punched him once she caught them. Or she would have been the first vampire to lose the contents of their stomach, whichever happened first.

On the trip back, Vlad watched as Mencheres and Kira stayed molded to each other's sides. He wouldn't begrudge them their happiness, he had chosen to do what he did knowing that it would undoubtedly enrage his lover and now he was dealing with the fallout.

Even as he acknowledged to himself that he had handled the situation poorly, his chest twisted at the memory of the tears in Leila's eyes. He had expected her to be angry with him, possibly even strike him, but he never expected her to cry.

As the picture flashed in his mind again, he found himself wishing that she had punched him instead, it would hurt less. Sighing internally, Vlad prepared himself to apologize as he walked in the front door of the house.

The walk to the bedroom felt considerably longer than it usually did, much to his irritation. Once he reached his destination, he stopped in the doorway.

Leila had taken one of the pillows, as well as her preferred blanket from the bed. He had hoped that she hadn't meant what she had said about sleeping in the other room. He should have known better, just as he didn't bluff neither did she.

Walking back through the entryway, he stopped in front of the door, unsure where to start. He knew that she was angry, that he was going to have to apologize, but how to word it as to sooth her ire with him?

Before he could raise his hand to knock her voice floated through the door, "Would you just come in already?" Snorting to himself, he did as he was asked without comment.

Seeing Leila's face didn't make him feel any better about the situation. She had obviously tried to hide the evidence of her tears, but her cheeks were still slightly wet with a pinkish hue and her eyes were also irritated.

Feeling that twisting begin in his chest, Vlad decided to get the apology over with so he could get to making her forgive him, he was very good at that. "I acknowledge that my actions were hasty and that they unnecessarily scared you. I apologize, for both your fear before and your tears now."

Short, sweet and to the point. Leila mentally sighed, that was her husband. Still he had apologized and that mean that he truly did regret what he did. "Apology accepted, don't ever do that again. If my pain is unacceptable to you, then you cant use your pain to make me do something I don't want to do, because your pain is just as unacceptable to me."

Vlad crossed the room to kneel in front of her by the bed, taking her hands as he spoke. "I won't do that again under any circumstance. I don't like seeing your distress, I especially don't like seeing your tears and knowing that I was the cause of them."

Leila nodded, accepting his words as the promise they were. Her hands tugged out of his, tangling into his hair as they were known to do when she looked for comfort. Placing a kiss on her mouth, he trailed them down her collar bone. He reached to undo her pants only for her hand to stop him.

"I'm not in the mood tonight." She still felt shaky from their earlier fall and her fear. After she said it, she realized that she had never stopped him before and a part of her was curious what his reaction would be. She was surprised by his response but not in the way she has expected to be.

"I'm well aware of that, which is why I'm not offering sex. I made tears fall from your eyes and that is unacceptable to me. Now I'm going to bring tears of pleasure to your eyes because those are the only ones I wish to see." He brushed her hair behind her ear, not reaching for her pants again until she spoke her agreement.

Only to his surprise, she didn't voice it. "That's sweet of you, but I really just want to go to sleep, Vlad."

Blinking in shock, he stood up to his full height, towering over her sitting form. Her eyes pleaded with him to not press it and, as much as he didn't want to, he acquiesced. He had already done one thing against her will today, better to not make that two while he was still paying for the first one.

Nodding to show his agreement, he saw relief in her eyes before he slid his hand across her jaw and into her hair. Massaging her scalp, he spoke in the low tone he knew she found comfort from. "Since you aren't feeling well I will wait, however once you feel better I will take you to bed to properly atone for my mistake."

Removing his hands from her hair, he slid it down to gently grasp hers. He moved toward the door, expecting her to follow only to be surprised when she stayed seated and made no move for the pillow or blanket.

Leila spoke before he could voice his question, " I appreciate your apology, but I'm sticking to what I told you earlier." Confusion briefly swept through him, what had she said earlier? Only for it to dawn on him that she intended to sleep separately from him for the month that she had previously promised.

His mouth twisted into a grimace, they hadn't slept separately a single night since her capture by his enemy. The idea of not having her company for a month was less than distasteful. "I have apologized and promised not to do it again, there's no need to punish both of us for the next month."

Leila's mouth twisted into a frown, "I'm not doing this as punishment. I'm doing it because I want you to remember this the next time you get the brilliant idea to do something like that again. And before you say it, yes that day will come. I know you, Vlad. I do a lot of things that you don't like and you aren't above using most means necessary to get me to do what you want. Usually, I don't mind because you're just trying to protect me, but today wasn't about protecting me and you know it."

Vlad's grimace deepened, letting her hand slide out of his own, "I already promised to not do it again, I keep my word. You know that."

Sighing, Leila stood in front of him, "If you actually stop to think about it then yes ,you will keep your word, but if you act before you can remember your promise then it doesn't mean anything. Promises are easier to remember if you've lived the consequences and don't want to repeat them."

Reaching out, Vlad wrapped his hand around her own, pulling her into a tight embrace with a sigh. "If this is what you feel you must do then alright. I don't like it, but I can't force you to share my bed. Should you decide that I won't forget my promise I will be waiting."

Dropping a kiss to her hair, Vlad walked back toward their room, hating the sight of the empty bed immediately, but knowing that there was nothing he could do about it. Laying back on the sheets, not bothering to pull them over himself, he thought to himself. How could this possibly get worse? In Vlad's long life, he had learned never to ask that question, but apparently he needed a reminder.

Over the next week Vlad slept in a separate bed than his wife, during that time he learned two new things. The first was, he had trouble sleeping without Leila there now that he had grown accustomed to her presence. That fact frustrated him immensely, but the second thing he learned was what made his week hell.

Leila also had trouble sleeping without him, only instead of laying awake most of the night until she gave up on sleep or fell into a fitful rest as he did, she had night terrors. The first night she had a nightmare he had sprung from the bed and sprinted to her room, believing there to be an intruder, only to find Leila with tears running down her cheeks and struggling to shake off the remnants of her dream.

Tension leaving his frame, Vlad had sat next to her, waiting for a sign on whether she wanted him to touch her or keep his distance. She threw her arms around him, answering his question immediately.

Wrapping her into his arms, he waited for her to be calm enough for him to ask about the dream, only she beat him to it. "No, I don't want to talk about it. Can we please just stay here, like this for a little while longer?"

Pulling her head away from his shoulder, he swiped her tears with his thumb before answering, "Of course, if you decide you want to talk about it later, I will listen." Leila nodded before snuggling closer to him, breathing in his scent and relaxing into the comfort she desperately needed.

Both of them relaxed into their position, not aware of the time as it passed. They woke up the next morning in the same position they had accidentally slept in the night before, with Vlad sitting up against the headboard and Leila curled into his arms.

Leila's attempts to apologize for what was going to be a very stiff back were dashed by Vlad. "I've dealt with much worse in my life than a stiff spine, you needed me so I was there. That is how it will always be, and if sometimes it causes me mild discomfort then that is the price I will gladly pay for your piece of mind."

Before she could protest, he had kissed her forehead and breezed out of the room to get ready for his work day. He had expected her to sleep better the next night, but the nightmare struck again, and again, and again every day for the next week.

By the end of the week of listening to her crying out in her sleep he was ready to kill someone, on the eighth day he finally broke.

Sweeping into her room he scooped her up under her legs, before spinning on his heel and walking back to their room, ignoring Leila's weak protests that it hadn't been a month.

"Your goal for sleeping separately has been achieved, the next time I consider using my pain as a method to make you cooperate I will remember this. I will remember you crying out in fear every night from nightmares that I can stop simply by sleeping beside you. I will remember the tears in your eyes from your hurt that I exploited your care for me, and I will remember my own weeks worth of sleepless nights longing for you when you are, but a rooms distance away. If you still want to punish me for what I did then we wont have sex for the month that you previously stated, but don't make me listen to your fear another night longer."

He had stopped in the doorway while he spoke, looking down into her eyes while he waited for her response. Leila bit her lip, he was right, if she wanted to drag this out she could just keep sex off the table. He was obviously getting as little sleep as she was, which wasn't healthy for either of them, and he was regretful. She doubted Vlad would ever repeat his mistake again, not unless he was under extreme circumstances, she nodded.

"Okay, we'll go back to sharing a bed, but only sleeping. I'm taking you up on that celibate month." Vlad snorted, "Of course you are, I expected nothing less. Now then, lets go to bed."

Leila's loud "Wait!" stopped him, looking down at her in confusion. Leila quickly explained, "I'm not calling it off, but I need to grab my pillow and blanket. It gets a bit nippy in the other room."

Vlad scoffed, continuing into their room where he deposited her onto the bed. "Do you forget who your husband is?" With nothing more than a snap the fire jumped to life behind the grate of the fireplace. Laying down flat on his back he waited for her with a raised eyebrow, "You have been known to forgo the blanket and pillow in the past by substituting me for both of them. I'm sure you'll make do as you did then."

His words made her lips quirk, he wasn't wrong. There had been plenty of times in the past where she had wrapped herself around him to siphon off his warmth at night, while using his shoulder or chest for a pillow. Though a part of her wondered if he had purposefully left the pillow and blanket because he wanted her close to him, but he didn't want to voice it. Knowing Vlad, who never did anything without reason, he probably did.

Giving in, she draped herself across his front, relaxing even further into him when his arms came up to wrap around her. She felt the weight of his chin resting on her head, felt the power buzzing underneath his skin, and let herself drift to sleep. For the first time in a week feeling at peace as she drifted off.

Vlad sighed quietly at the feel of Leila back in his arms, where she belonged.

He had never expected that not having Leila beside him at night would be as big of a problem as it was. As he laid awake, enjoying the feel of her in his arms once again, he began pondering how he would go on week long business trips in the future. Her nightmares were worrying, as was his own inability to sleep without her. Heaving another sigh, he brushed a kiss to her hair before resting his head next to hers. He would have to find a way to bring her with him, but it could wait until tomorrow. For now, he would bask in the first restful night of sleep he has had in the last week.


	6. Vlad's POV of Leila's Near Death

Hey this is BAWV here with another drabble. Thanks to Sophie who reviewed, I really appreciated it! Just to let you know,  
there are spoilers here for Into The Fire so read at your own risk. Read and Review with your opinions!

Vlad watched, his festering rage exploding outward, as the computer played the newest disc sent by Zylagii.

The sight of his Leila chained to the wall sent his flames up his arms where they reached for the ceiling, as if trying to shoot straight off of him to find her. The camera's view was suddenly blocked by a very familiar male frame, and as it dawned on Vlad what was about to happen, his flames retreated back inside himself.

Despair and horror overtook his previous rage as Maximus grabbed the struggling Leila, the sight making memories of his own childhood imprisonment come back to the surface.

It had taken him years after his release to be rid of the feeling that every single inch of his skin was covered in filth that no amount of scrubbing would get off. He had promised himself many years ago that any lover of his would never know that pain while associated with him, but here sat his wife who was about to live the worst years of his life and know exactly what kind of damage it left behind.

The despair threatened to swallow him as his rage turned inward, if only he hadn't coated her in his essence she would have been able to contact him long before it would have come to this. He had been railing at himself over that very thing since he had received the call that she had been captured, but now he knew that his choice would have considerably more long lasting effects than he had ever anticipated.

Mencheres must have guessed what he was thinking, as he tried to reassure Vlad only for him to stop at the sudden geyser of flame that erupted.

Out of seemingly nowhere, Vlad heard a quiet voice, as if the speaker was miles away and talking through a pillow. Something about the voice made him want to focus on it, somewhere deep in his soul something was telling him that it was vitally important to hear what the voice was saying.

As his flames burned hotter, he focused on the whispers, only for them to suddenly turn into shouts in his mind. With a start he realized that the whispers weren't out loud, it was in his mind and only one person had the ability to speak through mental link.

A flash of relief so strong it almost brought him to his knees hit him, Leila had finally managed to connect to him, so his aura must have worn off. Before he could ask where she was, her words came to him in stunning clarity.

"You need to stop burning everything, you're burning me too! Put out the fire Vlad! Put it out! Out! Out! Out!"

The pain in her voice as well as her sobbing in-between words made his instincts scream, something was very wrong. She wasn't here so his fire shouldn't be burning her, but Leila had no reason to lie to him.

Glancing at the video that still played he was shocked to see his surroundings seem to shimmer as if they were a movie with bad connection. He caught a glimpse of what looked to be a warehouse that was completely covered in fire before the computer and his room solidified again.

Focusing harder on that shimmer, the warehouse flashed again before cementing, the previous sight of his home melting away as if it were never there to begin with. His head felt like it was stuffed with cotton, as his mind slowly took in everything around him.

As the shock rolled through him he realized there was a body by his feet looking badly charred, inhaling sharply he focused past the smell of burnt flesh and a gut wrenching cry ripped from him. The words he had heard from Leila came roaring back as he threw himself down next to his wife. "You're burning me too."

Terror like he had never felt before pierced his soul. Wrapping her into his arm he frantically willed the fire that coated her, his own fire his mind supplied with sickening realization, away. His hands ran over her skin, desperately dousing every flicker of fire that remained on her.

As the last of the flames disappeared from her skin, Vlad got his first look at just how badly she was injured and his stomach twisted as if threatening to regurgitate everything in it.

Every inch of Leila's skin was charred black and breaking apart, he only briefly glanced at her legs before forcing his focus away. If he focused on that he would lose the tentative grip he had on his emotions.

Loathing his helplessness to his core, Vlad waited for signs of her skin beginning to heal, only for a new wave of terror to roll through him when she showed no signs of recovering.

Desperation pushed a cry past his throat, words spilling out of him in a last hope of rousing his wife and pulling her back from her true death. "Come on Leila! You need to heal! Heal, my Darling, heal! Please!"

He didn't even recognize his own voice, he had never pleaded this way before in his life. Not during his torture and repeated rape as a child, not when he had found his first wife by the river, not even when he had learned of his son's demise.

With crystal clarity, Vlad knew in that instant that if Leila didn't recover then he would follow her shortly. He had forced himself to live through his previous wife's death, but nothing would keep him from Leila's side, not even the grave.

Soul shattering pain ripped though him when she gave no reaction, a roar built in his throat, but just as he was going to throw his head back and release it Leila twitched before opening soot covered eyes. Her eyes were unfocused, whether from the soot in them or they were still healing from the light of the fire.

The sight of eyes he had thought forever closed looking back at him made relief pour through him with the force of thousands of dams breaking. Tears of relief that his wife still lived filled his gaze before he forcibly blinked them back, her next words made him want to laugh and cry at how even near her final death she still loved to needle him.

"You said please," a smile stretched across her now very slowly healing face, "I'm never going to let you live that down."

If he had been in his usual state of mind, he would have responded with "I didn't expect you to", but Vlad couldn't bring himself to speak. He swayed slightly, before wrapping Leila even tighter into his arms. His head burrowed into her neck where he took deep breaths of her scent to reassure himself that she was still alive. If he had his way, she would never be out of his arms or his sight for the next century.

Leila gave no protests to his hug, despite the fact he knew his tight grip was rubbing painfully against the still raw burns covering her. Despite knowing this, he couldn't make himself release her.

He had come within moments of losing his wife, by his own hand no less. He would sooner be skinned himself than let her go for even a minute.

Some of this Leila must have sensed through their bond for instead of pushing him away, she wrapped her healing arms around his head, running shaking fingers through his hair while clutching him as tightly to her as she could.

He felt as her mouth came to rest on his forehead, her nose brushing against his hair and inhaling deeply. Her body relaxed as she took in his scent, her arms tightening even more as if not wanting him to pull away just yet.

He was more than happy to oblige, he wasn't anywhere near ready to let her go either. Even as the though came however, he could hear the voices from outside and knew that soon they would have company.

Pulling back reluctantly, he bit back a chuckle as her arms tightened even further causing bruises to form. His voice was still shaking, but it was miles closer to his normal one. "I have no wish to release you, but the others will be entering soon and I need to cover you. No one is allowed to see you like this, but me."

Hesitantly, Leila loosened her hold, the second after she completely pulled away Vlad felt a stab of panic through his chest. He uttered a sharp sound before flashing forward and grasping her hand in his. "This is far less than what I want, but it will have to do for now."

Leila caught his gaze and internally winced at the haunted look that met her eyes. They were going to have a lot to work through after all of this was over, but they would get through it together. For now they had to focus on one thing at a time.

Taking off his shirt while holding Leila's hand was tricky, but there wasn't a chance in hell that he was going to let her go, not even for the second it would take to slip off his shirt. Even if he wasn't terrified of letting her go, it was easy to tell that she wasn't ready for him to. He could practically see Leila's desperation for continued physical contact floating off of her in waves. It brought them both comfort so there was no reason to abstain.

He couldn't let himself think about what had happened, what he had almost done in his spell bound state, or he would completely break down and they both still had too much to do. He could lose himself to his emotions later, in private, once he and Leila were both safely home again. Until that happened though, he would focus all of his attention on her well being, as to not allow himself to slip into his own mind. Right now, his wife needed him and he was happy to give that to her.

Once she was covered sufficiently for the moment, Vlad hooked his unoccupied arm under her and lifted. As he stood out of his crouch he shifted Leila until she rested comfortably against his chest with her face pressed into his throat. A sigh brushed his throat, announcing her appreciation of the position.

Once standing, he took another look at her injuries to track their healing progress. All of the previous black skin was now healed back to a slightly pink tint; the sight of her newly healed skin relieving him.

Saying nothing, Vlad headed for the exit, only to pause when Leila weekly wiggled to draw his attention. "I can walk now." She was careful to keep her tone gentle, she knew that he was already drowning himself in guilt as it was, she didn't want to add anything to that.

Seeing the look of flat refusal flash across his face, she quickly went on. "I know why you don't want me to, but Vlad I don't want them to see me being carried out like some kind of damsel." A smile quirked her lips at his pained grimace, "Besides, this isn't an angle I'm comfortable showing any of the men out there without wearing pants or at least underwear."

Vlad let out a choked snort before haltingly placing her on her own feet, keeping a sharp eye on her just in case he would need to catch her if they gave out.

The memory of her legs, charred black and shriveled, slammed into his mind. An irrational part of him warned not to look, in case they weren't healed yet. Coldly silencing that thought, Vlad forced himself to look down and was internally relieved to see her legs healed as well as holding her weight.

The sight brought him equal parts relief and chagrin. While he was happy she had healed, the memory of her blackened flash would be source for many nightmares in the near future he could already feel it, he didn't feel ready to stop touching her yet.

Leila smiled, feeling his emotions and his struggle across the bond. She leaned almost all of her weight against his side, giving a slight tug to his arm until he got the hint and wrapped it around her back before settling against her hip. "I know it's not what you or I want but it'll have to do until we have some privacy."

Placing her hand over his own at her hip she squeezed it, before she could pull it away his fingers intertwined with hers, successfully pinning her hand with his to her side. His face was blank, but his emotions brushed her own, a silent plea to leave her hand where it was.

Standing on tiptoes Leila used her other hand to run over his jaw before resting in his hair. Catching his mouth in a soul searing kiss she felt his body heat up under her hands, her body giving an instinctual jolt away that she didn't manage to hide from him in time.

His face darkened, shifting to remove his arm from her only for her to immediately clutch his hand and arm tighter in an almost bone breaking grip. "No. I refuse to let this or anything else make me let go of you right now. We can deal with the fall out on both of our parts later."

Vlad stared into her eyes, making sure that she wasn't just doing it for his sake before nodding. Relaxing his arm back around her they turned and walked out into the sunlight where their friends were waiting with open amazement. Leila only stopped them briefly to hook her free hand into the belt loops on his jeans, using her thumb to stroke his hip.

They would have a lot of problems to work through, but first they had to a cult of necromancers to take care of. Afterwards they could focus on healing, both mentally and emotionally.


	7. Vlad's Tie

Another one for Vlad and Leila, can you tell these two are my favorites? If you guys want to read anything in particular feel free to send in ideas. As always read and review.

Leila relaxed back into the bed, watching as her husband got ready for his day. Lately he had been feeling off. One second he would be shooting off lust like he was ready to drag her to the nearest bed, and then the next minute he would feel a flash of aching longing. This confused her to no end, if he wanted to take her to bed he knew he was more than welcome to. So why did he feel that longing whenever they started to head in the direction of the bed? She had tried to ask Vlad about his peculiar emotions only to back out at the last second every time, not sure if he would want to talk about it or not.

As Vlad finished dressing he breezed over to Leila's side, planting a long lingering kiss on her lips before he turned to leave the room. Leila thought on his strange mood over the past week as well as her many attempts to ask about it. Obviously whatever was bothering him wasn't going to just go away and he wasn't going to bring it up himself, if she wanted to know more about what he was feeling she would have to make herself ask. With that in mind, Leila jolted forward and grabbed his arm before he could walk away.

Vlad stopped, turning partially to face Leila as his eyebrow raised in curiosity. Biting her lip, Leila tried to choose the right words only to give up after a minute with no success. She really missed Vlad being able to read her mind at times like this, "I noticed that you've been feeling odd lately, I just wanted to know if everything was alright?" Vlad stiffened briefly before sitting next to Leila on the bed, absentmindedly clasping and stroking her hand. The silence stretched on, just as Leila was about to take her question back Vlad spoke.

"There is nothing wrong, necessarily." Here he stopped, carefully choosing his words before he continued. "When we first began sleeping together I told you that I don't set standards I am unwilling to meet. The same applies to any request I might make of you. A week ago I thought of something I would like to do the next time we make love." He hesitated again, giving Leila the chance to jump in.

"Why would that be twisting you up? I trust you, if I don't like what you want to do I have full confidence that you'll stop. So what's stopping you from asking for what you want?" Leila's confusion kept building, this wasn't like Vlad at all. If he wanted something he was straight forward about it. What could he possibly want to try that would make him hesitate to ask, even while he ached so severely for it? Her answer came as Vlad squeezed her hand before continuing.

"Yes, generally that is what I would believe. However, what I want is not something I would allow you to do to me if the situations were reversed, which breaks my promise to never ask for something if I myself wouldn't allow it. I tried to ignore the thought and move on, but it refuses to leave. Every time we make love it resurfaces, much to my frustration."

Leila could understand where he was coming from, Vlad was big on keeping to his word and this was one of his bigger promises that he based quite a few of his decisions on. However, even as she acknowledged where he was coming from, she still didn't understand why it had caused such a reaction in him. "Okay I get that, but why didn't you just ask? It's not like I'm going to hold you to it or make you do something you're uncomfortable with just because you want to try it on me. I'd never do that to you, you must know that."

Vlad sent her a jaded smile, "Yes, I know you would never ask that of me, but the thought of doing anything to you that you are not allowed to reverse back to me… it doesn't sit right with me." Leila still didn't quite get that, but she decided that she didn't need to. There were a lot of things about her husband that she didn't understand. Vlad wanted to try something and it was something that she couldn't do to him, that's all she needed to know.

"Well how about you tell me what it is and then we go from there? You already know about my limits and not once did you mention your idea crossing them. As long as I like the sound of it, then I have no problem only being on the receiving end. There are things I prefer to do to you that bring both of us pleasure, no need to add anything that doesn't do anything for you."

Vlad's emotions swelled against her own, that previous longing ebbing away to be replaced with his usual firey passion. His hand trailed up into her hair where it twined into the strands, stroking down her neck before he spoke. "I want to blindfold you, however if you would dislike it then we need not mention it again. After your capture it would be well within your rights to not want to be blinded during sex."

Leila felt warmth bloom in her chest, that was just like Vlad. He had been worried about asking her for something on the off chance that it would bring back memories of her time as a prisoner. As his love for her spread throughout her body, she stroked his stubble and put his worries to rest. "I appreciate why you didn't tell me, but I am more than willing to be blindfolded by you. As long as a gag doesn't come into the picture, I'll be fine."

A dark look briefly flashed across his face before he nodded, "I would never gag you, even before your capture. I enjoy hearing the sounds you make as well as the sound of you screaming my name too much to stop you from making them." His voice dropped into a throaty purr, making things low in her stomach clench. Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, she blew into his ear, "So will we be trying that new fantasy now? Because I can think of a few of your ties that would work just fine."

Vlad's eyes flared green for the barest moment before settling back into his unique copper gaze, "While the thought is appealing, I don't think it would be wise to use those. Any time I would see the tie from then on I would immediately remember what it was used for. There are certain functions and duties I have that being painfully aroused during them would set a bad picture to those in my line."

Even as he disagreed Leila could tell the idea pleased him. Leaning further up, she nipped the shell of his ear, dragging her fang across it. "What if that's why I want to use one of your ties? The idea of you randomly thinking of us intertwined throughout your day pleases me quite a bit. But if you insist, we could always only use one specific tie and you could just not wear it outside of the bedroom?"

A throaty laugh brushed her neck in a tender caress, "You truly want me to be painfully aroused as I go throughout my day, don't you? Alright, you can choose a tie that will no longer be part of my everyday wardrobe."

Unwrapping herself from around him, to his mild protest, she sauntered over to the walk in closet. Vlad relaxed back on the bed as he waited for which tie she would bring out. He could remember at least two that she can commented on enjoying the feel of the fabric across her skin, and either of them would look ravishing on her. As he felt himself begin to swell Leila walked back out with her hands behind her back and an impish grin on her face.

The grin only grew when she saw his growing arousal, but she focused on the task at hand. She would help him with that in just a minute. "I have a request." Seeing her grin and how she practically vibrated with excitement, Vlad knew that what she was about to suggest would both please and frustrate him. Gesturing with his hand for her to go on, she did so while the smile never left her face. "After we use this tie, I want you to wear it today. You don't have to wear it after that, but I want you to wear it today. You like the idea of me being blindfolded? I like the idea of you wearing something that was used in our making love throughout the day. It's kind of like a lipstick mark on your neck only more subtle. I don't care if anyone else knows what it means, because you will."

Vlad wasn't sure if he should laugh or groan. While he didn't have a problem with wearing the tie, he did have a few meetings today that becoming aroused during would be considered inappropriate. Namely, a meeting with Cat about something she had asked for his help in. If he became aroused during that visit neither she nor that street peasant she married would ever let him live it down. Glancing back at Leila, he could see that she was enjoying his reaction. Something nagged at the back of his mind, something about how Leila wanted him to wear it today of all days. She could have asked him to do it tomorrow or the day after but she specified for it to be today. What reason could she have behind that?

Vlad gave up on puzzling it out, choosing instead to simply ask. "My lovely wife, why are you so interested in this today?" Leila's expression shifted into a slightly sheepish smile, confirming that she had a reason for her request. Her answer equal parts shocked and enraged him, chasing his former languid amusement away.

-"Busted, I should've known you would figure it out. Well, Cat mentioned that your ex Anette would be coming with them and the last time Anette and I met things got…heated." Her tone plainly said what she meant by that, Vlad was thunderstruck that he hadn't noticed this. Seeing his surprise and guessing the reason behind it, Leila continued.

"It wasn't anything overly bad, certainly not the worst I've heard growing up with my scar and average looks, but she still makes me want to growl whenever she gets near you." She said the last part with an apologetic look which Vlad quickly brushed away with his answer. His face set in a stormy glare as he spoke in a voice that promised someone a six foot deep dirt nap.

"Why didn't you bring that to my attention when it happened? I would have set her straight to the point that she would never dare breath a word in your direction again." Even as he spoke, Vlad knew why. Leila was too kind for her own good, she knew what he would do to Anette if she had told him while the former whore was within exploding distance and while she didn't like Anette, Leila didn't want her dead.

Leila spoke up, confirming his thoughts. "Because as appealing as the thought of her decorating a wooden pole is sometimes, I know that I have nothing to worry about. You would never allow her to do any of what she not so subtly hinted at. That doesn't stop me from wanting her to know that you are mine, justas much as I'm yours."

Her words made something primal in him hum with delight; yes he understood perfectly the urge to mark his partner so the world could see who they belonged with. He had much the same urge whenever he had left his bite in Leila's neck when he use to feed from her. Now that he knew about Anette's attempt to shake Leila's confidence he knew that he would be wearing the tie in their meeting today, for more than one reason.

Once Anette came close enough to touch him, which she always did, she would smell Leila on the tie and know exactly what it meant. Vlad smiled at Leila's craftiness, she didn't want to make a big production of showing her claim on him, she simply wanted to remind one of his past lovers that he would never be available to her again. With that thought Vlad smiled, reaching forward to pull Leila into his arms.

"I know why you want me to wear it and I will. However, that doesn't mean I wont be having a discussion with Anette when they arrive. You may be lenient with her, but I refuse to be. You are my wife, she will come to understand this after their visit." Leila wrapped her arms around him, his sitting form only coming up to her chest while she stood next to him. Pressing his face into her chest while she rested her cheek on his head, she sighed in both contentment and exasperation. She figured he wouldn't drop that, and she had been right. With an inward sigh, she let it go. Besides she'd be lying if she said the thought of Vlad putting Anette in her place didn't make a primal satisfaction flash through her chest. The rumbles that traveled through her jaw announced him speaking better than his voice did, breaking her out of her train of thought.

"Also, if what you want is to thoroughly stake your claim on me, you could simply ravish me to the point that every inch of my skin smells like you." Vlad grinned as Leila's eyes flared green and stayed that way, "Yes, I thought you would like that thought."

Yes, Leila definitely liked that thought, and he would have known that even if her eyes hadn't announced it so spectacularly. She had considered doing that before, but had discarded the idea thinking that Vlad wouldn't appreciate being scent marked like some kind of property. The fact that he willingly offered the alternative made her curious. "I'm not going to lie, the thought definitely crossed my mind before, but I always figured you wouldn't want me to do that. I didn't want to treat you like some kind of object or something. Besides I'm sure there are lots of people you meet with that would give you weird looks if you showed up smelling like me in that way."

Vlad felt equal parts frustrated and appreciative. While he understood that she had been trying to stop people from bothering him, he had hoped that she would have come to him to talk about such things. At the beginning of their relationship, she would have been correct in her thoughts. To arrive at his meetings smelling like he just rolled out of bed with his partner would have caused dissent or at least speculation and back then he would have disapproved of it. Now though, he could think of nothing more satisfying than being coated in his wife's scent. While in part he would be doing it to make a statement to his former partner, it wasn't his main reason for offering this solution. He understood the urge to mark what was yours and the satisfaction that came from it. He had covered Leila in his scent and his aura for much the same reason. No, he understood perfectly what instinct drove her to want this, and he supported it fully. Now to just reassure her of that.

"You have no need to worry, I know that you don't see me as anything but what I am. Your husband, who you want to claim as your own. I told you months ago that vampires are notoriously possessive and territorial, what you're feeling is completely normal. I have done much the same to you many times since our relationship began and I have no problem with you doing the same to me."

Relief brushed through Leila, she had been worried that he would take offence to her request, most guys wouldn't want to be covered in their girl friend or wife's scent because it would affect their image. She should've known that Vlad, while he did care about his image, didn't care about other peoples opinions. He could just as easily keep up his scary persona with her smell clinging to him as he could before. Looking down into his eyes, not an angle she usually saw them from, she planted a kiss on his forehead to his amusement.

Before he could say anything and distract her, Leila lifted her hand to show the tie she had picked out. "So are you still going to wear this today or are we going to skip to the covering you part?" Now Vlad's eyes flared green, a slow smile curved his lips.

"I'll still wear it, earlier you mentioned you liked the thought of me wearing it, not only because of who is visiting today, but also because you liked the thought of knowing I am wearing it. Therefore, I will wear it, but after today I make no promises." Leila grinned, she hadn't thought he would wear it after he offered his other solution but here he was telling her he would do both just because he knew she would enjoy it. Vlad broke her out of her thoughts when he wrapped his hands around her arms, preparing to pull her into his lap and begin what both of them were looking forward to.

With a careful tug she happily plopped herself into his lap, making herself comfortable before he reached for the tie still wrapped around her hand. Examining it, he flashed her a smile that was tinged with amusement. "Of course you would choose my favorite tie, more incentive to have me wearing it more often?"

Leila gave a sheepish shrug, turning to straddle his lap before answering. "Well you're not the only one who doesn't play fair when you want something." Vlad barked a laugh at her reversal of his words on their wedding night as his fingers lifted to comb through her hair. Brushing all of her hair back he raised the tie to her eyes, pausing just before it covered them, giving her one last chance to back out. Leila smiled at his caring, she lifted her own hands to cover his, "Do it, I trust you and nothing is going to change that." Letting her hands fall into her lap, she waited for him to start. Before he fastened the tie she caught a glimpse of his expression and knew she had made the right decision. He looked both determined and excited. Almost like a kid who had been told if they finished a task to their parents satisfaction then they would get a treat, and he was determined to get his treat. It was rare that her husband looked so innocent, ironic given their current situation was as far away from innocent as it could get, and she was going to enjoy bringing that out in him more often over their very long lives.

The darkness was mildly disconcerting but not overwhelmingly so. Despite that, as if sensing her slight unease, Vlad's emotions brushed her own in a comforting caress. Leila knew without a shadow of a doubt that he was watching her reactions carefully for any signs of panic or displeasure. This was something new for both of them, he was determined to make sure they both enjoyed it. His voice rolled over her in response to her discomfort, "This should go without saying, but should you wish to stop at any time you need only say so. Just as you take pleasure from my own, so do I from yours. If you are uncomfortable or in any pain, this will immediately end."

A smile pulled across her mouth, yes she knew all of that but Vlad sounded like he needed the reassurance that she knew. "It does go without saying, but I appreciate why you reiterated it. I know that if I want this to stop it will, without hesitation or guilt , and that is why I'm happy to try this with you. I know I have nothing to worry about as long as you're here. I haven't seen real darkness since I was human so it threw me for a minute, but I promise that I'm fine and if at any point I'm not that I will tell you."

When she admitted her discomfort Vlad had reached up to untie her makeshift blindfold, only for Leila to catch his arm as she finished speaking. She could feel his indecision about continuing, before finally lowering his arm again. "I will hold you to that promise and if you knowingly push your own discomforts to the side I will be very angry with you." With that said, Vlad lifted her off of his lap before depositing her in the center of their bed. As anticipation built in both of them, Leila knew that this was probably going to become a staple in their bedroom, if what she could already feel was any indication.

And done! If you guys want me to write how Vlad deals with Annette let me know.


	8. Leila and Vlad's First Christmas Part 1

Hey guys! I decided to do a holiday Vlad and Leila! This is going to be a long one, just a heads up.  
Maybe I'll do one for Mencheres and Kira next. What do you think about that?  
How do you think the ancient pharaoh would celebrate?

Vlad had never expected to actively seek out Leila's sister Gretchen of his own free will for any reason, but for what he wanted to know she was the only one besides Leila herself who might have the answer and he had a nagging feeling that the answer wasn't one she liked to think on.

For the past week, Leila had been withdrawn and almost dazed. He had originally assumed it was due to Martin not being here to celebrate with her, which Vlad could do nothing, but comfort her over. However, yesterday he had been discussing possible plans for the holiday and Leila had let it slip that she had never really celebrated since her mother's death. When he had asked further she had looked at him with a faraway gaze, and a haunted look briefly flashed across her eyes. She had changed the subject instead of answering and he had allowed her to. That alone was enough to warn him that something was wrong, but Leila had also been acting odd lately. She would get a glazed look in her eyes as if she were reliving an unpleasant memory at seemingly random times. He had seen it happen when they had been near the kitchen, in the gardens, and even when they had been getting ready for bed. He could think of nothing that would cause this reaction in his wife, and his frustration was full to boiling.

Leila's dodging of the question left him with only one other source of information. With any luck, Gretchen would know why she was acting like this and he could lift Leila's spirits.

As he stopped in front of Gretchen's temporary room, he sighed before fortifying himself and knocking. The door opened not a minute later to the face of a very surprised Gretchen, obviously she had been expecting her sister. "Uh hi?"

Fighting a smile at her uncertain greeting Vlad gestured to the room as he spoke, "Good evening, I'm sure you are curious as to why I have sought you out. If you were to invite me in I will be happy to explain my reasoning." Just noticing that she had been essentially standing there with her jaw hanging open she quickly stepped to the side with a quiet acceptance.

Once they were settled comfortably he wasted no time, "Lately Leila has been acting odd, when I ask after her behavior she changes the subject, but not before her eyes glaze over in memory. Do you have an idea of what is affecting her like this? I have a suspicion it has something to do with the holiday, but she refuses to either confirm or deny it."

Gretchen's mouth formed a circle as understanding flashed across her mind, a slow smile spread across her face. "You really care about my sister, don't you?" Vlad sighed internally, he had been hoping that she would simply answer his question without getting side tracked, but that was foolish of him. He chose his words carefully, out of the remaining members of Leila's family Gretchen was the only one who even mildly approved of their relationship. If possible, he would like to keep her opinion of him positive. He wanted Leila to have all the support she could from her family, even if most of it despised him for one reason or another.

"Yes, I care about her a great deal. I thought marrying her would have made that obvious, but apparently not. Her behavior as of late has me worried and I need to know what is causing it as to help."

Gretchen smiled at his answer, even the sarcastic portion, before her smile slid off her face to be replaced with the same look Leila had been sporting for the past week. In that instant, Vlad knew that Gretchen did have the information he wanted, and that he wasn't going to like what it was.

Gretchen affirmed his thought when she spoke, her tone low as if she didn't want to be overheard. "Well you were right about it having to do with the holiday, although by the sound of it you don't know what exactly happened. I'm not surprised, Leila hates talking about it and hasnt brought it up even once to me over the past decade. I don't like talking about it either, but...you need to know so I'll tell you."

Here she paused, collecting herself for what was obviously going to be a painful discussion, Vlad had to bite back his urge to snap at her to spit it out. While he hated the suspense, Gretchen was reliving a painful memory so that Leila wouldn't have to. He could wait until she got her words together.

Thankfully, she only needed a moment. "There is no delicate way of saying this so I'm just going to say it bluntly. You know about Leila's suicide attempt right?" Her question shocked him into silence, of all the things he had expected this was not one he had considered. Her attempt on her life had something to do with her current mood? A chill of cold fear rolled through his spine, before he forced his attention back to Gretchen. He needed to hear all of the information available before deciding if he should be worried.

At Vlad's nod, Gretchen continued. "Well it was Christmas Eve, two years after Mom's death. I always went over to a friends house for the holidays because after Mom died it just wasn't the same. Dad refused to celebrate any holiday, I don't know what exactly he use to do but I know that Leila would be edgy for a few days after Christmas. She never told me why, only that Dad wasn't someone she wanted me around during the holidays. I never pushed her on it, until that year."

A sinking feeling settled in his stomach as Gretchen went on, what she was describing sounded dangerously like Hugh had physically harmed Leila and if that were the case nothing would keep him from killing the man. It would make sense why Leila refused to talk to him about it, she knew how he would react to the knowledge of her abuse. She also had avoided the story behind her suicide attempt, he had never asked and she never told. He knew that at least part of her reluctance to talk about it was due to his former wife's death.

Leila wouldn't want to bring up his own bad memories on top of her own. Biting his tongue as to not interrupt Gretchen before she finished, Vlad gripped his hands tight enough to grind his bones together as he waited for the rest of the story.

"Apparently her and Dad had it out over something, I still don't know over what. All I know is that when I came home because I forgot something, Dad's car was gone and when I went into the room Leila and I shared it was trashed. A laptop that we used for watching movies on was broken and CDs were strewn around the room. At first I thought we were robbed or something, I started freaking out and calling for Leila. Not my smartest move, I know, but I wasn't thinking clearly at the moment. When I had raced through the house and checked all the rooms I really started to panic, only to hear something from the bathroom."

Her eyes brimmed with tears as the memory of finding her larger than life big sister lying in a pool of her own blood with deep lines cut into her wrists, and a bloody knife sitting not far from her played through her mind.

"She was curled up in the bathtub, both wrists cut almost to the bone and pale as a sheet. When I first saw her I thought she was already dead. I don't remember screaming but later our neighbors say that they called the cops because of it so apparently I did. I stopped the blood flow the best I could, but in my panic I forgot to call the ambulance. Thankfully, my scream had assured it being called along with the police. By the time they got there I thought it was too late, but the doctors told me that they made it in time, but not by much. After they took her away the police questioned me about who I was, who she was, and where our father was. Of course I only had a few answers and I'm not sure if I was even speaking clearly through my shock, but eventually they finished and told me that until my father was contacted I would be going with them. As we went to leave I saw something else in the bathtub, Leila must have had it wrapped into her arms before they took her because I couldn't see it before."

Here she paused, tears finally leaking out of her eyes as she looked into Vlad's eyes. "It was a stuffed bear Mom had made her for when she was pregnant. It was ugly as sin, but Leila loved that thing. For some reason the sight of it covered in blood is what finally broke me out of my shock. I broke down sobbing and refused to move. The police had to sedate me to get me to go with them. Leila spent Christmas Eve and Day in a hospital, being poked and questioned about her mental health while I was trapped in the police station without any information on how she was doing. It was hell all around. Eventually the police got ahold of Dad, who had driven to the bar to cool off after their argument. They questioned him about Leila, her mental health, our current situation, our mother's death, and a lot more things. After a few more hours Child Protection Services stepped in and took Leila and I until the police could sort everything out. It took Dad months to clear up what happened and get me back, but it took him even longer to get Leila back. I think that most of the strain in their relationship now is from whatever happened back then. I'm sorry but that's all I know. You would have to ask Leila for anymore details."

Vlad could faintly feel himself thank Gretchen for her time, before leaving the room to give her time to compose herself. As he walked without a destination, his rage rose to a dangerous degree. He had known that Hugh had been emotionally distant but he had never expected this level of negligence. It was very lucky for him that Vlad had already sent him home or he would have found himself decorating a pole in Vlad's dungeon for many years to come.

Vlad knew intimately his list of flaws, but despite how long that list was he had always made sure that his son knew that he was loved. He knew the pain of losing a child and wishing more than anything to go back just to hold them one more time. Over the centuries he had seen all sorts of depravities done by parents toward their children and it never ceased to enrage him, but the knowledge that his wife's father more than likely had a hand in her suicide attempt made fire blaze up his arms.

He forcibly pushed the fire back into his skin, he needed to have his suspicions confirmed before he made any plans for Leila's father. Decision made, he turned in the direction of their room. He hadn't wanted to ask Leila about an obviously painful subject, especially so close to the holidays, but he needed to know the truth and it couldn't wait.

Determination made his strides quicker, stopping just outside the familiar door. He could hear Leila getting ready for bed inside, not surprising given the hour. Taking a deep breath, Vlad tried to rein in his anger. The last thing he wanted was for it to be misdirected at Leila when he was going to be prying into a very sensitive subject already. Once he felt in control of his emotions, he opened the door and joined his wife.

Leila glanced up and smiled at her husband, the previous dazed look disappearing from her features. Her smile dropped after a glance over Vlad though. She couldn't put her finger on what exactly seemed off about him, but there was something definitely wrong. His wall was up so she couldn't feel anything although she dearly wished she could right then. Standing from her previous place sitting on the bed, she spoke. "Is everything alright?"

One second Vlad was at the door and the next he was standing next to her with one of the most intense stares she had ever seen directed at her. She had a sinking feeling she knew what had him in such a weird mood. His attempts over the last few days to ask about her behavior and his earlier admittance that he was going to ask her sister something. At the time she had thought he was going to her for gift ideas, but now she knew better.

"No, everything is not alright. I just concluded my meeting with your sister and she enlightened me to a few very important details you hadn't mentioned about the Christmas holiday." Here he paused, giving her time to interject, only for Leila to look away in guilt. Coming to stand in front of her, he cupped her face and lifted her eyes to his own. "I am not angry with you for your refusal to tell me. This topic is a painful one and usually I would leave you to tell me whenever you felt you could, but this is hurting you and until I know more, I can't help you."

He stroked her face with his thumbs, bringing his other hand up to join the first. Leila's mouth twisted, her eyes locking with his own after a moment of hesitation. Vlad could see the play of emotions in them, the pain of her father's past and present rejections, the loneliness that had haunted her after the accident, and the sorrow that had led her to attempt to take her own life so many years ago. Leila released a shaky sigh, briefly closing her eyes. When she opened them, they were filled with tears of resignation. "Tell me what you already know, I'll add in details from there."

Relief poured through Vlad's body, he had been worried that she would refuse to tell him or become angry with him for pushing despite her obviously not wanting to talk about it.

Knowing that this discussion was going to be difficult for her, Vlad did the only thing he could do to make it easier. He dropped the wall that blocked off their bond, letting her feel the waves of his love for her and his relief that she was telling him. Leila shot a weak smile at him, wrapping her own hand around one of his that rested on her cheek. "Would you prefer to lay down or sit before we begin this conversation?"

Leila shivered as his love wrapped around her like a security blanket, his warmth seeping into the parts that she had thought would never feel warm again. His question made her smile, yes he was going to push her to answer his previous question, but he also acknowledged that it wasn't easy for her. He needed the information to help her, but he was going to do his best to comfort her while she told him. "Yeah, it would probably be a good idea to sit down for this."

Vlad leaned back against the headboard, leaving both the spot in between his legs and the one to his side open for her choice. Leila only had to think for a second before climbing into his lap, leaning halfway against him and the headboard with her legs thrown over his own. His arm lifted to wrap around her shoulders, while his other hand encompassed her own. The rhythmic stroking against her palm calmed her, as much as anything could calm her in the given situation. Leaning her head back, she nodded for him to start.

Vlad gave the basic outline of what he had learned from Gretchen, never ceasing in his stroking knowing how much it helped her. When he finished he waited as Leila mentally put together her words. The biggest downside to her changing over had been him no longer being able to read her mind when she had difficulty saying things, but he knew that if he was patient she would find the words.

Sure enough, a few minutes later Leila's eyes opened and locked once again with his. The pain was still there, but now there was a determination as well. The sight sparked pride in his chest, his wife was strong and it was always a pleasure to see her fierce spirit.

"Before I say anything I want you to promise not to kill, maim, harm, or otherwise mentally or physically injure my father or allow anyone else to do so with your knowledge." A curse flew from Vlad before he could bite it back. His eyes glowed green as his previous suspicions about Hugh were at least partially confirmed. Leila wouldn't have felt the need to wring this promise from him if he had never harmed her. Seeing her expectant look, Vlad reluctantly agreed, despite the burning need to hunt down the man who had caused so much suffering in his wife's life. Leila nodded with satisfaction before starting to explain.

"Gretchen was right, when Mom died Dad changed. Before he always enjoyed celebrating Christmas with all of us, but after… Well he refused to let either of us celebrate at all. No tree, no decorations, no baking, no nothing that would remind him of Mom. I always figured that Gretchen left for her friend's house so she could celebrate in peace, but I didn't have anywhere else to go. With my special condition I hadn't risked making any friends, scared that I would hurt someone. So every Christmas I would stay home, hole myself up in my room and in general act like I didn't exist. The first Christmas after Mom's death was the worst, but not the one I tried kill myself during. All of the memories felt like they were ripping my heart out all over again, and somehow not seeing any small reminders of my mothers life made it so much harder. I wanted to hear her one more time, or to see a picture of her to not forget her face. Anything, anything at all to make that gaping hole in my chest feel even slightly filled. Dad had taken down all of the pictures with her in them and shoved them into a trunk in the attic, along with all the movies she had made of us."

Vlad tightened his hold on Leila as she trailed off, he had a feeling he knew where this was going. Gretchen's description of the destroyed room and the laptop coming back to him in a blaze of anger. He dearly wished that she hadn't made him promise not to harm her father because Vlad knew that before this conversation was over he would be burning with rage that he couldn't take out on its rightful target. Forcing himself to show none of this, and to keep as much of it out of the bond as possible, he offered what comfort he could as she continued.

"I decided that I wanted to hear her voice again and nothing was going to stop me, not even Dad. I went up to the attic and brought a few homemade movies down and the laptop. I told myself that just because Dad wanted to forget my mother didn't mean I would, she deserved better than that. So I holed up in my room for the entirety of Christmas Eve night and Christmas Day, watching birthdays, school plays, and whatever else I happened to grab that had my mother in it. Needless to say, I cried like a baby whenever she came on screen, but it was all I had left of her so I grabbed it with both hands."

The tears fell at the memory of seeing her mother's face on the camera while knowing that was the only time she would ever see it again. She felt more than saw Vlad run his thumb under her eyes, swiping away the tears that fell, but not saying a word. He knew that she needed him not to interrupt, if he did, there was no way she could finish this. However, until he could vocally comfort her he settled for physically. Shooting a wobbly smile his way Leila forced herself to push through.

"Dad just assumed that I was mourning alone so he left me to it, he was too busy drinking to care anyway. That would become normal for the holidays in the coming years, but at the time it was a startling change in my father who refused to drink more than wine glass. Whenever he drank like that I felt scared of him, I never knew why until the second Christmas after Mom's death."

Vlad felt his muscles tense, anticipation mixed with dread at finally finding out what had caused his wife to try to end her own life at the tender age of fourteen.

"As I'm sure you've guessed by what Gretchen told you, Dad found out about what I was doing and he was not happy. He raged at me for going against his order to leave the stuff in the attic. He had already been drinking so I could smell the crap on his breath which made me even more on edge. Dad never shouted, but he was on full volume as he tore me a new one. I cut him off during his tirade, a big mistake on my part as I would soon know. I told him that he had no right to order me to forget my mother existed simply because he had decided to do that. I also said he had no right to take her memory from me, especially considering that he hadn't been faithful to her for years if the letter was anything to go by. I didn't even see it coming when he hit me. One second I was standing in front of him, the next I was across the room with a bleeding head, a throbbing cheek, and a new fear of my father. He seemed just as surprised as I was that he had hit me, but he shook it off pretty quick. He broke the laptop and scratched up all of the CD's I had out. He told me that now I couldn't disobey his order because he had destroyed all of the stuff I had of my mother. Those weren't all of the videos and he must've been too drunk to remember the photos but I wasn't about to correct him. He went to hit me again, but when he did I was pulled into his worst sin. With crystal clarity I knew that my father blamed me for my mother's death. When I came out of the vision he was gone and I was alone. I'm sure I don't need to tell you why that was a bad thing. Looking at the remains of the videos, the destruction in the room, my own injuries, and the lingering knowledge that my father hated me for my mothers death put me into a very bad mental place. I didn't bother cleaning the room or myself up, I went back to the stuff I had brought down from the attic and found the only thing he hadn't destroyed was a stuffed animal my mother had made me. I took the bear and went to the bathroom. I don't know where I got the knife or where I got the idea to slice my wrists, all I know is that everything hurt and the only person who I knew could fix it was gone and she wasn't coming back. I convinced myself that there was no reason to stay alive, my father hated me and my sister acted like she did too so I decided that I wouldn't be living anymore. After I woke up in the hospital with social workers and police shooting non stop questions at me I realised that my thinking was a bit flawed. Instead of thinking about my father or my sister, I asked myself what my Mom would have thought and the answer was sobering. My mother would have been destroyed if I had succeeded in killing myself, not to mention blaming herself every step of the way. I told myself the day I woke up in that hospital bed that I would never listen to that damn little voice again, no matter what happened."

The tears flowed freely and she made no move to stop them, while it had definitely hurt to remember that particular Christmas, it was also oddly relieving. She was glad that someone else knew the whole truth about what had happened back then, and who better than her husband? Speaking of her husband, he had been oddly quiet throughout her long explanation. Glancing up at him, she blinked in shock at the pain clearly displayed in his eyes. "What is it?" She didn't ask what was wrong, considering the current situation there was plenty wrong, better to ask what in particular was he looking so pained by.

Vlad picked her up and planted her squarely in front of him in his lap, her legs snaked around his hips and settling between his back and the headboard, her arms resting on his shoulders. "I was dangerously close to losing you before I even knew you. The thought that you could've been taken from me, that I would have never known the love I have for you, is a sobering thought. The thought that it would have been caused by your father's carelessness and neglect of you enrages me. You know how much I loved my son and after his death every missed opportunity, every embrace where I could have held on just a little longer, every cross word that had crossed my lips became an unbearable brand on my soul. I have seen many atrocities that parents have done to their children and they each enrage me no less, the thought that they have a child but so carelessly throw them away while I lost my own makes me burn inside."

Leila stroked her hands through his hair, offering what comfort she could. She would never know the pain of losing a child, but Marty had once told her it was the worst pain imaginable and everything Vlad had mentioned so far lined up with that estimate. She understood why seeing people take for granted what he had lost would enrage him, it even made her understand a bit more why he hated her father with the intensity that he did.

She was still glad that she had made him promise not to hurt him though, he had made a lot of mistakes raising her, but he was still her father. However he had made it plainly clear by refusing her invite for Christmas that he had no interest in repairing their relationship, so after the holidays were over she would make a point of visiting him one last time to cut it off in person. A clean break is what they needed, they weren't going to change and she was done being hurt by his words and actions.

Tugging lightly on his hair, Leila sat back to stare into his eyes. The copper was ringed with brilliant green and practically burned with the old pain of his loss. Trailing one hand down to his stubbled cheek, she stroked with her thumb. Smiling as his eyes closed and contentment brushed against her subconscious.

"I'll never know what pain you have to carry over the loss of your son, I've relived it through other people though and I understand why you detest my father and anyone else who would take their child for granted. I can't really understand but if you ever want to talk about him, or Clara for that matter, I will always be here to listen."

Vlad's mouth twisted into a sharp smile with a dash of older pain, "I know and I will keep that in mind. Tonight we have gone over too many sensitive topics, but later I will tell you of him, of them. They would deserve no less and if you so choose you can tell me more about your mother and Marty." Leila doubted she would be able to talk about Marty without bursting into tears anytime soon, but she might be able to talk about her mother. Vlad was right, those who were lost deserved better than to not be remembered for the wonderful people they were. Vlad's voice brought her back to the present.

"As for you understanding that pain? I never want you to. In all of my life and the many excruciating things that have been done to me, the loss of my child will always be the single most painful thing to have ever happened to me. I don't want you to understand, because first you would have to feel it for yourself."

Leila felt tears well again, only this time they were for Vlad not herself. He noticed the tears but didn't comment, knowing they weren't for pity. Choosing instead to wrap his wife tightly into his arms, he pulled himself away from thoughts of what he had lost with the physical reminded of what he still had. Leila's next sentence however had him pulling back in a mixture of wary hopefulness.

"Well you won't have to watch my father hurt me anymore. After the holiday is over I'm going to visit him and break it off. I thought that after the conversation on the plane we might be able to work it out, but Gretchen's changing over guaranteed that it isn't going to happen. He sent back a scathing letter when I invited him for Christmas, and I decided then that the hurt that caused would be the last he put me through. I'll finish this once and for all, but only after Christmas. This is our first Christmas together and I don't want it to be tainted by anything, his rejection, the painful memories of past Christmases, or Marty's absence. I know that both Mom and Marty would want me to enjoy myself, not be sad. Especially my Mom, she loved this time of year."

Again Leila trailed off, only this time alongside the pain she felt at remembering her mother she also felt some of the old warmth. Vlad watched Leila's eyes go far away again, only unlike the last few days, it didn't confuse him now. He and Gretchen had been wrong, Leila wasnt thinking on her attempted suicide, or her father. She was remembering her mother and Marty. Thinking back he had seen her get that dazed look in the kitchens, when they were walking in the garden, and right here in this room. Curiosity tugged at him, pushing him to ask, "Feel free not to answer this if you don't want to. What were you thinking of the past few days when I found you distracted?"

Leila blinked in surprise at his question, taken off guard, before she thought back and smiled. "It's fine, I need to work on talking about them anyway. When we were outside in the garden I remembered the flowers my Mom use to plant with Gretchen and I during the spring, when we were in the kitchen the smell of cookies made me think of baking Christmas cookies with Mom before we set them out of Santa, and when we were getting ready for bed I was actually thinking about whether I should continue practicing my gymnastic routines without Marty. Most of them need a second person, but I don't think he would've wanted me to stop doing them because I can't do them with him anymore."

Vlad hadn't considered that she had merely been thinking on old memories, mostly of her mother. She had mentioned once that her mother had a skill for gardening and cooking but hasn't mentioned it since. As for her halt in her routines, he had assumed that she had either not felt like doing them or simply didn't need them. He hadn't thought about her lack of a partner affecting them. Stroking her hair, Vlad turned over an idea in his mind. She wanted their first Christmas to be special, she had said so herself, and he could make that happen for her.

"If you wish I can take the week off of work and we could enjoy the next week together doing whatever you wish. Possibly some of the traditions your family use to do?" Leila's head snapped up, while she was surprised at his offer she wasn't mad at him for making it. Biting her lip, she considered his offer thoroughly. The only traditions she could think of were baking the cookies, making the Christmas dinner, decorating the house and tree, as well as presents. She seriously doubted that Vlad the Impaler, the Eternal Prince of Darkness would want to bake cookies or any human food considering that neither of them could eat it. Did he even know how to cook? Deciding to start with that question and work her way forward, Leila spoke.

"I can't see you in the kitchen and baking cookies with me, or your staff not having a stroke at the sight of me making anything on my own. Do you even know how to cook? Since you wouldn't really need the skill?" Vlad's mouth twitched up into a crooked grin, amused that was her first concern that came to mind.

"Yes, I did know how to cook although I didn't use the knowledge often. As you know, I was a Prince and had other people to cook for me. However, it has been close to five centuries since I last made a dish though. As for my staff, I could give them the day off to spend with their families, many of them have spouses or in the human's cases children. Of those that choose to stay I could order them to leave us while we are in the kitchen."

Leila's previous surprise only increased as he kept talking. "Wait, this sounds like you're actually considering baking cookies with me, cookies that you won't eat. And possibly getting flour and batter all over you." Her confusion made Vlad bite back a laugh.

"While it is true that I won't eat them, you won't either but you still want to make them. I would have no objections to being seen in the kitchen with my wife during the holidays and I'm sure the staff will be more than happy to eat whatever cookies are made. I have already been seen playing in the snow only a few weeks ago, if that didn't damage my reputation beyond repair then possibly being covered in various ingredients won't finish it off either."

Leila's surprise melted into blissful happiness, her giddiness had a laugh bursting out before she could stop it. Vlad merely smiled back, glad to see his wife happy again after their morbid discussion even if it was slightly at his expense. Leila choked back her chuckles enough to respond, "I'm sorry, I just remembered how you looked when I first hit you with the snowball. You looked like I had shot you!"

Vlad's smile stretched even further as he too recalled the memory, "You would have surprised me less if you had. We were heading into a battle for our lives in hours and you decided a snowball fight was necessary." His chest rumbled with his answering chuckles at the memories. He had been sure that Mencheres would scold him for his childish actions, he had been surprised when not only did he not scold him, he joined in! Truth be told, they had all lost miserably against Mencheres but Vlad wasn't surprised by that. Although he distinctly remembered Leila hiding behind him more than once because his body heat melting the snow before it reached him made him the perfect shield.

The gleam in Leila's eyes said that she was remembering that too. "Do you think sometime in the next few days we could play in the snow again? That was a lot of fun! Maybe we could see who would win in a fair snowball fight, without Mencheres curb stomping all of us. Did any of us even land a single hit?"

Vlad shook his head, his wife would not be satisfied until his reputation was truly demolished. He couldn't believe he was considering playing in the snow with her, just because it was fun. If someone had told him even a year ago that he would be considering it, he would have killed them for their insolence. Now not only was he considering playing in the snow, he had agreed to bake cookies he wouldn't eat. Yes, his past self would have been both irritated and disgusted by what he was planning to do, but looking down at his beaming wife he couldn't find it in himself to care.

"Possibly, I will have a great deal to get done as to have the next week off, but I'm sure you will find time to drag me away. No, I don't think any of us made a hit, but that is no surprise to me. My honorary sire is no slouch, he has survived four millennia for a reason."

Leila's eyes bugged in shock, "Wait he is how old!? We had a 4,000 year old vampire playing in the snow with us? No wonder he stomped us, I'm just surprised he didn't scoff at us."

Vlad kissed her forehead, amused at her reaction. "Maybe now you can understand why I was so surprised at the time. I expected him to scold me but I should have known better. Mencheres may be old, but he has softened since meeting Kira."

Leila shook off her shock to look at him with a raised eyebrow, "Are you sure you want to be pointing fingers at him about softening since he met his lover?" Vlad flicked her ear playfully, smiling at her fake squeal of outrage before replying.

"I haven't softened even slightly and would appreciate you not spreading such lies. If I happen to be more affectionate with my wife, well who could blame me? I still hunt down and torture my enemies with the same ruthlessness, so there's no harm in it." Leila broke down in giggles at his mock outrage before he slid into a complacent tone.

"Okay, okay no need to take it personally. You're still my big, scary, bad ass vampire and you always will be. Better?" She barely finished her sentence when he had joined their mouths in a scorching kiss that when he pulled away left her feeling woozy. Smirking at her dazed expression Vlad stroked his hands down her arms.

"You are right on all counts, one of those points more so than the others." Before she could recover enough to ask what he was talking about, she found herself lying down on the bed with Vlad straddling her waist. "I am and forever will be yours. Whatever else I am, that will always be true and I will be sure to remind you of it in the future when I do something that aggravates you."

Leila turned to goo at his admission, for someone who said he wasn't good with pretty words he seemed to turn her into a puddle of happiness pretty easily with his. "You're right about all of that. You are and always will be mine, just like I'm yours and nothing will ever change that. I'll be sure to remind you of that too when I irritate you next." Wrapping her hands into his hair, she pulled him down into a steaming kiss. As they started shedding each others clothes, Leila had one last thought before her attention was thoroughly captured. 'This will be the best Christmas ever.'


	9. Leila and Vlad's First Christmas Part 2

**And here is part 2 of I'm not entirely sure. Every time I think I'm done it grows again...  
Read and review with thoughts and opinions!**

The next morning Leila woke to the feel of lips sliding across the skin of her back. Cracking an eye open she glanced toward the owner of the lips, who was now smirking devilishly down at her. Vlad was hovering over her, his knees pressed tightly into her sides, using his body to trap her into place. Sending a drowsy smile back she bid him good morning, slowly stretching herself out, amused as his eyes followed each muscle as they moved. He shifted forward on his forearms, landing a kiss on her mouth briefly before pulling back to speak.

"I may have to begin my work later in the day from now on so I can enjoy this view on a more regular basis." His fingers trailed the muscles his eyes had previously followed, a shiver rolled through Leila at the feather light touches. Turning to wrap her arms around his neck, she tugged him down until he was resting completely on top of her before claiming his lips.

"I certainly won't complain, this is by far the best way I've ever woken up." Vlad rested his head next to hers on the pillow as he shifted his body to lay beside hers, running his fingers through her tangled hair. Leila's eyes slid shut in bliss, hearing and feeling Vlad chuckle she lightly elbowed him. "Hey don't judge me, your hands are magical."

Amusement flashed across his face before Leila cut off whatever arrogant comment that was sure to follow. "Yes, yes I know and they're magical in everything they do. What do we have planned for the day?" Noticing the obvious subject change, but choosing not to point it out, Vlad listed off what he had planned.

"We still have two days until Christmas which leaves us with picking out the trees we will be using for the halls, decorating them and the rest of the house, baking cookies, and picking out presents." As he ticked off the list Leila nodded along, still disbelieving that he was seriously going to do those things with her. She had expected to either celebrate alone or not celebrate at all, but this was much better.

"I don't have to worry about your present, I already have it picked out and wrapped." Vlad's eyebrows rose in question, Leila's face flushed at the unsaid question. "Well, just because I didn't think I would celebrate it doesn't mean that I didn't want to get you a present. I may not be religious, but you are and that is kind of an important part in the Christian faith." Accepting her answer without prodding, he could see she was uncomfortable with the subject so he changed it after a subtle squeeze of gratitude.

"Well then, that simply leaves me to get a present for you. While we are on the topic, what would you like? It is last minute so it may not be here in time for Christmas, but I doubt that you are the type to mind such things."

Leila shook her head, "You're right, I don't care about that but you don't have to get me anything. You get me gifts all the time, after all." Vlad had expected her to say something similar, ignoring her answer he slid his hands into her hair and gently massaged her scalp. Leila's eyes slid shut in bliss, he chuckled at her expression and the look of mock irritation she shot him.

"I get you gifts because I see things that I believe you would enjoy or that would look good on you. As you stated, part of Christmas traditions is to give presents to those we care for. You can't begrudge me that since you have already picked out my gift." Leila swatted at his hands half heartedly, he knew that she had trouble focusing when he did that. Rolling her eyes at his knowing smirk, she shrugged in acceptance.

"Honestly there isn't really anything I want. You are going to spend the week with me and that's the best present I've had in years." Vlad bit back a sigh, most women were easy to shop for, but not his. He had given his previous lovers jewelry or clothes and they had been well received. When he bought Leila such things, while she appreciated them, she did not truly enjoy them. She was like him in that way, while physical things are nice they are not generally anything special unless there was some sentimentality attached to them. They are things that anyone would own, making them not as appealing.

At a loss, he asked, "Is there truly nothing that you have wanted since you've come to stay with me?" Leila seemed to consider it before embarrassment slapped across her face, If she had still been human she would have flushed bright red. Intrigued now, Vlad questioned, "Now what was it you were thinking of that put that look on your face?"

Leila clammed up from embarrassment while trying to change the subject. "I'll appreciate anything you give me, you know that." As she went to stand, fully planning on making her escape, Vlad tugged her back down before pinning her below him.

""While I do know that, it is not what I asked. Why are you embarrassed about your thoughts? While I don't know any details of what you were considering, the look that was briefly on your face ensures I would enjoy it." Squirming slightly underneath him, Leila huffed out.

"You shouldn't say that until you know what my thoughts were, I doubt you'd be so flip if you knew." Her answer had Vlad's eyebrows drawing together in confusion.

"As I told you when we first slept together, if there is something I don't enjoy I will tell you. Tell me what you would like to do and I will be sure to let you know if I am not agreeable."

Leila's embarrassment, which had been dying down, leapt to life once more. Just the thought of saying what she had been thinking of doing to him was enough to make her want to combust with nerves. Seeing her discomfort, Vlad sighed. "Would it make you feel better if I say one of the things I have thought of doing to you?" Before Leila could speak up to stop him he began with a smirk firmly on his lips.

"I have thought of the many different ways and places I could take you and my favorite so far is this; you would be laid in front of the fire because I love how the light plays across your skin making it glow in an ethereal fashion. I would discover every inch of your skin there is to find with my fingers before following the path with my tongue. I would wind you up with desire to the point that you would beg for your release. My name will be the only word that you can remember by the time I am finished with you."

Seeing Leila's look of both embarrassment and arousal, Vlad laughed. "There, see? Anything you could say will be tame in comparison." Leila shook her head in disbelief, she should have expected that from her husband.

Hesitantly she started to detail what she was thinking, "I was thinking about you...tied to the bed with some kind of fabric. Nothing too strong, obviously! I don't want you to be unable to get out if you want to and I may have been thinking of bringing some ice cubes too? I use to think about using chocolate since your temperature would melt it, but now that I'm a vampire too..."

As her voice faded she still half expected him to get mad, after all, one of the things she had wanted was for Vlad to be the one tied down and Vlad wasn't the type to allow himself to be tied down even in any environment. Not that she could blame him, with his history. Vlad's expression cleared, his eyes bright green as a smile curled his lips up into a devilish grin.

"I will never be angry with you for simply asking for something you desire, especially if it entails what we do in bed. While I appreciate the reason you never asked, I would not have become enraged should you have done so. I know my own limits as well as my dislikes, if you ever suggest anything I wouldn't like, you will be told, but not angrily. In the future, have no fear of bringing requests of a sexual nature to my attention." As he spoke, Vlad stared straight into her eyes, silently reaffirming what he was saying. Leila's weariness melted away, giving way to a hesitant smile.

"As for your current request, I see no problem with it." Seeing her shock at his easy acceptance he continued, "You said you wanted me to be able to break free should the need arise. That tells me that while you want me at your mercy, you don't want me unable to break free should I need or want to." As he spoke he ran his fingers along her cheek, seeking to offer physical reassurance to his verbal claims.

"That is why I am agreeing to this, you want the illusion of me being at your mercy, but not the helplessness that would generally go with it. I will have the supplies ordered and shipped here in time for Christms." He watched in satisfaction as her eyes dilated at his agreement to go along with her wish, already imagining him in such a position. "Thank you."

Vlad rolled his eyes, "There is no need for thanks, your wish is something that benefits both of us, not only you."

"That's not what I'm thanking you for. Thank you for trusting me, something tells me that this isn't as small a thing to you as you're making it out to be." Vlad stiffened briefly above her before staring solidly into her eyes.

"The ties we are using I can easily break out of. However, as I'm sure you have guessed, I have never allowed myself to be tied down by a lover before, despite two of them requesting it of me. To a certain degree I am trusting you, but there is no need to thank me for it. We are married after all, I have trusted you with my life multiple times before, why wouldn't I trust you with my body?" Leila smiled up at him, happy that he would allow her this. Her mind pondered over his words before another question sprang to the front of her mind, she visibly hesitated which Vlad quickly noticed.

Seeing the look on her face, he spoke "I can see you have another question, so ask." Reminding herself of his promise to not get mad she bolstered herself.

"What are your limits? I don't want to test them or anything! I just want to know what to avoid..." Vlad shot her a smirk that hid something darker before replying.

"You have no fear of accidentally stumbling across any of my limits, but to put your mind at ease… Most of the things I do not enjoy are based around pain or humiliation, neither of which I need to fear with you, correct?"

Leila practically launched into her agreements, "Of course! What kind of twisted person would take any kind of pleasure out of making their loved one hurt?" Cutting off what looked to be an impressive tirade, Vlad sealed their lips together. Warmth bloomed in his chest at her vehement denial. If she had reacted in any other way at the thought of his pain then he wouldn't have trusted her with this. Besides, if she followed her fantasy it would be very rewarding for him to play along. In fact...

"I believe the kitchen has ice cubes. Part of your fantasy was to use my higher body temperature to melt them and then lick off the resulting patterns correct? It would be better to practice before Christmas, we must make sure we have it perfected for the big day. Don't you agree?" Still dazed from the kiss he had used to silence her, Leila nodded. Vlad chuckled before helping her up from the bed and guiding her by the arm to the kitchen in search of their entertainment for the morning. After they finished, Vlad knew he would have to bury himself in work until dawn to clear the rest of the following week to spend with Leila, but it would be worth it.

Vlad bit back what felt like the umpteenth sigh of the day as he put his most recently finished letter on top of the ever growing stack. It was worrying, usually he had very few of his line who stepped out of line and went against his rules, but lately it seemed like a day didn't pass without him being notified of another act of disobedience. He would have to gather his people to address this soon, the longer he waited, the more likely it would escalate into something worse. Right now it was simple acts of defiance, he could beat the living daylights out of those who were so insolent in front of an assembly of his people and the problem would solve itself.

However, to do so he would need to leave Leila for a few days and what with their plans for Christmas already set, he found himself reluctant to leave her. Even if they hadn't made any more plans than to lounge in bed on Christmas morning, after learning of how her Christmas was spent when she was a child the idea of leaving her alone even near Christmas was abhorrent. It would take him two days at least to assemble his people and hold the necessary event to publicly discipline the offenders.

There were only two more days before Christmas, he wouldn't be able to finish the assembly in time to spend it with Leila. He would have to wait until Christmas was over before starting the preparations, leaving immediately after Christmas instead of spending the week with Leila held no appeal to him, but he knew it was necessary if he wanted to head off a much larger problem in the future.

Leila would understand and he could always make it up to her later. While he would miss New Years with her, he wouldn't miss Christmas and that was the most important holiday of the two. Decision made, Vlad looked at the still large stack of letters and other legal documents that he had to read before he was free for the next few days. His mouth twisted into a grimace even as he sat forward to grab the next one, he would be lucky to finish before dawn at this rate.

Just as he sat down, a knock rang out on his door making him bite back a growl of frustration. "What?" His tone would have been enough to warn whoever was on the other side of the door that he was in no mood to deal with any trivial issue. If it had been any other person than who it was they would have left right then and there for fear of his wrath.

Leila opened the door with a raised eyebrow, obviously in reaction to his foul mood. Vlad bit back a sigh, of course his wife would come to visit him while he was buried in paperwork and unable to offer her any of his attention. Pushing himself back in his chair, he brushed his emotions across her own for the barest moment, letting her feel his frustration and his wordless apology for snapping at her. Leila's eyes softened in understanding, glancing at his stack of papers yet to be read before wincing in sympathy. "I take it that you forgot about dinner?"

Her words bewildered him momentarily, before he took in the floor length dress she wore that hugged every curve as if it were painted on and her hair that was up in an elaborate braid. With a sharp curse, Vlad remembered. He had told her that his paperwork should be done by dinner and that they could have dinner afterwards, as a conciliatory prize since she had originally come to try to drag him out for the walk they had discussed previously.

He had refused saying that he had more paperwork than he thought, which was true. He hadn't expected the letters to cause so much trouble, and it had led to him losing track of time; something he almost never did. Leila must have felt his remorse and his ever growing frustration through the bond before he closed it, because instead of appearing angry over his forgetting their dinner she crossed the room in three easy strides before planting herself firmly in his lap.

"Alright, what's going on? I believed you earlier when you said you had a lot of paperwork, but that wouldn't have made you so frustrated that you forgot about our dinner plans. So what's wrong?" Even as his frustration built at the thought of the foolish people in his lines actions, he could feel his irritation draining from him as she stroked her hands through his hair. Finally releasing the sigh that he had been fighting off since he began reading the letters, he explained the situation.

Leila listened silently throughout, only stopping her stroking when he finished and she wrapped him into her arms. His own arms coming up to snake around her waist before tightening to pull her closer against him. "If you need to go and deal with that I won't blame you. It sounds like it could be serious." Pulling back from their embrace, Vlad looked into her eyes and knew that she was telling the truth. She wouldn't blame him, but she would be hurt even if she would never admit it.

Shaking his head, even as his logical mind told him that he should do what she said, dealing with the problem now would save him a great deal of trouble later, he ignored that in favor of slowly devouring his wife in a kiss. When he pulled away, he saw her dazed look and smiled. "No, it can wait until after Christmas, but I will have to leave immediately after opening presents on Christmas morning." He said it while his emotions brushed his remorse over her own, but Leila was having none of that.

"There's no reason to feel bad about this Vlad. You're doing everything in your power to be here with me for Christmas, despite it causing you a lot more trouble to do so. I couldn't be mad even if I tried. So what if we don't get New Years together? Or the Christmas dinner? We don't even eat human food anymore so we're not really missing much anyway. We should have time in the morning before you leave for me to see you off properly right?"

Vlad's mouth twisted into a devilish smile, "Even if we didn't have time, I would make it for that. Speaking of such things, your present arrived and we can use them before I have to leave." Leila's eyes changed to streetlight green, her mouth pulling up into a delighted smile.

"Can't wait. You know, I could just go with you and then we wouldn't have to be separated." Vlad smiled ruefully at the suggestion, yes he had considered that, but the things he was going to have to do to the offenders weren't things he wanted Leila see. She may accept him at his worst, but he knew that after her own capture and torture she wasn't comfortable being around anything of the sort, especially not done by him. Brushing another kiss on her forehead to take the sting out of his refusal, he shook his head.

"As much as I would like that, you should not be present for what I am going to do." Leila grimaced, he didn't have to say anymore. She knew what he meant and he was right, she would probably drop right into a PTSD attack as soon as he started and he couldn't afford to be distracted by her during it. His line was already giving him trouble, the last thing he needed was to be seen as soft for stopping a punishment and rushing to his wife's side because she was panicking. Just because she understood, didn't mean that she wasn't disappointed. If it weren't for her occasional freak outs she could stay with Vlad and neither of them had to deal with the loneliness of being separated.

Smelling her self deprecation, Vlad scowled. "Do not blame yourself for having lasting problems after being tortured for weeks by my enemies. It is only surprising that you hadn't developed these issues earlier after your first capture. You are strong, my wife, but you aren't invincible. Don't expect yourself to be."

Sighing, Leila let her irritation go for the moment, and addressed the other reason she was hesitant to stay home without him. "It's not just that, it's stupid but I'm not sure how I'll handle being here without you. After…" She trailed off, not wanting to remind him of her capture from their home, but knowing that he wouldn't want her to keep something that was bothering her from him. Vlad's eyes darkened as her meaning became clear.

He hadn't considered the possibility that she would be wary of staying home without him, but he should have. It was from here that she had been taken last time after all and though she was a capable fighter that had not saved her last time. Pulling on his beard in frustration, Vlad wracked his mind for a solution that would solve all of the problems. Seeing Leila's guilt over speaking, he quickly cut her thoughts off before they could take root.

"Don't feel guilt over telling me about something that would make you uncomfortable. If I weren't so frustrated I would have thought of that myself. It isn't only because of your fear that I would be hesitant to leave you here for any extent of time without me." A haunted look briefly flashed through his eyes, his shields cracking enough for Leila to feel both his determination to keep her safe and the hated fear that she would be captured again.

Biting her lip, Leila considered their options before an idea struck her. It might work, but would they mind the intrusion into their own holiday? Seeing the look on her face, Vlad knew that she had an idea. Leila laid it out for him after some mild prodding to continue on his part. "We could ask Mencheres and Kira if they want to celebrate with us, but they might want to celebrate together alone. That had been our plan before, after all."

Vlad considered her idea, before nodding. "I would feel more comfortable leaving you if Mencheres was close by. I will call him later and ask him and Kira to spend the holidays with us, and explain why I would like him to stay for however long this takes me to sort out." There were no other ideas he could think of that would make him feel half as comfortable with leaving his wife home without him. Mencheres was a powerful vampire, even if anyone did plan to attack while he was away, it would go nowhere with his honorary sire there.

With that decision made, Vlad looked balefully at the stack of papers still taking up residence on his desk. Leila caught his gaze and the direction it was in before going to stand. "I should leave you to it-" She was interrupted mid sentence when Vlad tugged her back into his lap. Shooting him a confused glance, she questioned his actions. "This isn't exactly productive toward your goal of finishing your paperwork."

Vlad smiled as he pulled her more snuggly against him, settling one of his arms around her waist before using the other to reach for his paperwork. "I am a five hundred year old vampire, I can manage to work with my lovely wife in my lap without problems. If it does happen to slow me slightly, well I will enjoy having you here more than I would enjoy the small amount of time I would save by letting you go."

Leila thought about it before shrugging mentally and turning into her husband's embrace. Reaching down, she slid her shoes off before curling her legs across his lap and wrapping her arms around his shoulders. As his hand stroked her back, she let her head drop to his neck as sleep dragged her down into its depths. Vlad smiled as his wife shifted closer into the hollow of his throat before slipping into sleep, the slight hum of electricity that she radiated relaxing him as he reached for the next paper. He might have to coerce her into relaxing like this more often while he did his work, it would certainly make the mundane task more enjoyable.


	10. Leila and Vlads First Christmas Part 3

Part 3 is here and ready for your reading pleasure! This one is shorter but I guarantee that the next one will be a giant one to make up for it! Read and review with thoughts and opinions!

After the invitation to Mencheres was sent and accepted, Vlad lounged in bed while lazily stroking his wife's back. He had finished his paperwork around dawn, before carrying Leila back to bed. She had been right that her presence slowed his pace, but not for the reasons she had thought. Work was the last thought on his mind when he had his exquisitely dressed wife on his lap. It had been a good thing she had dozed off almost immediately or he doubted he would have gotten any work done at all.

Under his hand, Leila began to stir. Vlad was well known amongst his people for not being a morning person, but the sight of his peacefully sleeping wife was more than enough incentive for him to wake early. Bleary eyes cracked open, taking in his actions before releasing a hum of enjoyment. Grinning down at her, Vlad stroked his fingers up to her face before brushing a kiss on her head. "Good morning, my wife." He smelled her pleasure at his address as her arms reached up to pull him into a languid kiss.

"Good morning to you too, my husband." Now it was his turn to feel pleased, sitting up and pulling Leila to sit up with him.

"So what is the plan for today?" Her tone was neutral, but Vlad knew she was excited to start all the things they had discussed.

"I believe you mentioned baking cookies, we can start with that and afterwards take a walk around the property to choose trees for the halls. Decorating those should take the rest of the day and Mencheres and Kira will be here around that time. We could have dinner and then retire for the night."

The way he said retire told Leila that he wasn't talking about sleeping. A sly smile slid across her face as she bit back a laugh. "Usually I would say lets turn later into now, but I am really looking forward to making those cookies, so let's get dressed." Seeing the barest flash of disappointment on his face, Leila let herself laugh. "You shouldn't have mentioned the cookies if you had wanted to stay in bed for longer." With a grumble of agreement, Vlad stood to choose his outfit for the day.

In the kitchen there was top of the line equipment covering each countertop, not that it surprised Leila, with Vlad everything was top of the line. It was eerie to see the empty kitchen, so used to the bustle of activity that it normally was, but Vlad had promised that his people would leave them alone to their devices and he had followed through.

As she began pulling ingredients out, she looked up to see Vlad's curious gaze following her. Raising an eyebrow instead of asking, she waited and wasnt disappointed. "Don't you need the recipe?" He said it with no mocking, as if he was making sure not to offend her just in case she was still sleepy and forgot, something that had happened in similar situations before. In this case, he didn't have to worry.

Smiling impishly, Leila shook her head. "Nope, this is one of two recipes that I can make off the top of my head. Considering that Mom was big into baking and was set on teaching me everything she could, I learned quickly. I wasn't allowed near the oven after my accident because it was electric, but I still remember the recipe. You might have to put them in the oven though."

Vlad shrugged, not minding the thought, "If that is how I will help then so be it. I am happy to keep you company until you need me." Leila shot a smile his way before she began measuring out ingredients. Staying back to give her space, Vlad watched as she seemed to move on autopilot. Mixing the ingredients together with a look of determination, she paused with a confused look moments later. "I feel like I'm forgetting something, but I know that I have everything. The only thing left to do is add the powders, so what could I be forgetting?" Her mouth twisted into a small frown as she tried to remember. After a minute her eyes lit up, the frown disappearing as fast as it appeared. "Duh, Mom use to put music on. I knew it wasn't anything to do with the recipe. Do we have a radio?"

Vlad simply pulled out his phone in an unspoken answer, if Leila could still flush she would've been beet red. Vlad planted a kiss on her head with a chuckle at her oversight. "What genre should I put on?" Now Leila shot him an incredulous look. Shaking his head, Vlad answered his own question. "Christmas, of course."

The first song to come on made Vlad grin before advancing to wrap Leila into his arms. Resting his hands on her waist and pulling her close, he dropped his mouth to her ear. "Shall we dance?" Leila bit back a laugh at his theatrics.

"I never pegged you as a lover of Baby It's Cold Outside. Besides if we dance right now I'll cover you in flour." Gesturing down to her coated hands and clothes as she spoke, she tried to pull back only for Vlad's grip to tighten.

"It's only flour, it will wash out. I've noticed that you don't prefer to dance during any event I host and I know it is because you are uncomfortable with the attention. However, we are alone now and no one will be interrupting us. If the flour bothers you then pretend it is snow." Leila couldn't bite back her laugh at that, but she relaxed into his hold. They swayed with the music, in their own little world until the song ended and they pulled apart. Leila cupped his cheek and pulled Vlad down into a kiss.

A snort broke out of her when she pulled back to see her hand had spread flour into his beard on accident. "You can't get mad, I did warn you!" Her statement was broken up with the chuckles she fought to hold back. Vlad raised an eyebrow, guessing what had happened before a wicked smile spread across his face. Before she could ask what had put it there Vlad ran his hands through the flour mess on the counter, thoroughly coating them.

Leila gasped as she was suddenly grabbed, Vlad placed each of his hands on her butt and pulled her snugly against him where he proceeded to steal all the unnecessary air in her lungs with a scorching kiss. When he was finished, she had a different kind of dazed look than the one she had been sporting over the past week.

When she could form words again, she looked at him curiously and asked. "What was that for?" Only for a flash to go off, making both of them turn to the entrance of the kitchen. There stood Gretchen, her phone still raised from the picture and a giant grin on her face.

"Nice hand prints, Vlad." Her sister's statement confused Leila, until it dawned on her why Vlad had covered his hands with flour before kissing her. Looking down, sure enough she had two perfect handprints on her jeans. Looking back to Vlad with both irritation and amusement, Leila shook her head.

"Really? Was that necessary?" Even as she tried to keep her scolding tone a smile threatened to break through. Another flash went off, dragging her attention back to her little sister.

Vlad beat her to addressing Gretchen and his response surprised her. "Those pictures will be going nowhere but your phone and my own." Gretchen nodded easily as Leila looked at him bewildered.

"You're keeping them?" Vlad glanced down at his wife, her confusion amusing him to no end. "Of course, vampires not appearing in pictures is pure myth and I see no problems with having pictures of us. Do you have a problem with it?"

Leila shook her head, "Well no, I'm just surprised that you don't have a problem with my sister having photographic evidence of you being anything other than your normal scary self."

"As I said, any pictures she takes will go nowhere but her phone and my own so there is no problem." Here he stared hard at Gretchen, until she nodded in agreement.

"No need for the scary look, I have no one I'd want to send them to anyway. Mom used to love taking pictures and videos of us as kids. Leila didn't really like to be in them, but dealt with it because Mom really enjoyed it. I loved both being in the picture and taking them, still do. So unless she explicitly states that she doesn't want me taking pictures of her, then she's just going to have to deal with it." Gretchen smiled as she spoke, momentarily going misty eyed at the memories before shaking herself back to the present to poke fun at her sister.

Leila smiled at the memory of trying to get out of the holiday photos. Gretchen was right, the only one in their family who could make Leila stay still for a picture had been their mother and now Vlad, although he hadn't meant to.

"I don't mind, as long as they're decent pictures and as long as Vlad doesn't mind?" Gretchen grinned at her sisters permission before turning to look questioningly at her husband who simply nodded his permission.

"Any pictures you take will be sent to my phone, that is my only stipulation." Eagerly nodding, Gretchen held up her phone again before asking, "How about one where you guys are actually looking at the camera?"

Vlad and Leila exchanged glances before shrugging. Leila turned in his arms to rest against his chest while facing the camera. Glancing up, she caught his eyes only to get lost in the way the kitchen lights glinted off the copper iris. Gretchen snapped the picture before nodding her acceptance. Before leaving she threw over her shoulder. "You two are ridiculously photogenic, even coated in flour."

Alone again, Leila turned with a playfully scolding look, "Since I was interrupted last time, lets try this again. Shall we?" Before Vlad could react she dragged her hands through the flour mess and wove her fingers into his hair, making white streaks cut through the dark curtain of hair. Raising an eyebrow, Vlad reached around her to the flour bag. He smiled and said six words that made Leila guffaw with laughter even as she tried to escape his upcoming assault.

"As Mencheres said, it is on." Vlad's statement was punctuated by him throwing the handful of flour he had retrieved into Leila's hair, ignoring her fake squeal of outrage. Letting her go, he jumped back to avoid the return fire only to receive a face full of flour courtesy of his wife. The fight lasted ten minutes and by the end of it, the kitchen was covered with flour, and so were they. Every visible inch on their bodies were covered in white powder and they were both laughing at the others appearance.

Their humor was muffled when Maximus walked into the kitchen, only to stop short at the sight of his prince covered in flour and laughing. The look on his face was so similar to when he saw Vlad playing in the snow that Leila burst into laughter again. Vlad knew what had caused her new peals of laughter, shooting an exasperated look at his wife he addressed his oldest friend.

"Maximus, I ordered us not to be interrupted unless something important came up." The unspoken question brought Maximum's attention back to Vlad.

With an apologetic look he spoke, "You received a call from one of your people, it sounds like there could be trouble and they're demanding to speak to you." The statement sent a wave of unease down Leila's spine, that didn't sound ominous at all…

Biting back a sigh, Vlad turned to Leila. "I know we had planned to choose the trees together, but this could take all night. Will you feel comfortable going with a guard? We can decorate them once I am finished with this call." Before Leila could agree a feminine voice made them all turn to the doorway.

"Are you picking out a tree? Ooh, can I come?! That's always fun." Kira breezed through the door, not commenting on their current state of dress, with Mencheres right beside her smiling at his lovers enthusiasm. "Sorry about coming in unannounced, but we got here a bit early and I couldn't help, but overhear."

Vlad waved off her apology before looking down to Leila to gauge her interest. Leila stepped forward to greet Kira only to stop when she remembered her current messy state. Stopping a foot in front of her, Leila agreed. "Sure, it's always nice to have another person's opinion. Although I need to change really quick if you don't mind. Is Mencheres coming too?"

Kira grinned at the reference to both of their flour covered clothes, "I don't mind and I think Mencheres had something to discuss with Vlad?" Glancing back to him for confirmation, Mencheres nodded before stepping forward.

"It can wait until after you take your call, but all the same I will stay here. You two enjoy yourself on your walk." Pulling Kira to him for a sound kiss before releasing her, he gestured Vlad to lead the way. Vlad grimaced, turning to Leila.

"I will try to finish the call quickly, be sure to change before heading out. It is too cold out for what you're currently wearing." He kissed her before turning on his heel, he nodded at Mencheres to follow him.

"Thanks for helping me pick out the trees." Leila knew that she could have done it on her own, but Kira was good company. As a kid she hadn't made any friends thanks to her electrical issues, but after today Leila was hopeful that Kira might just be her first female friend.

"It's nothing to thank me for, I love all things Christmas. Besides, I wanted to thank you for helping me with Mencheres surprise, he loved it." The genuine thanks made Leila feel warm as they both walked back to the house with several trees on each of their shoulders. They could have asked one of the guards to come help carry them, but both women were of the same mind that if they could easily do it, why should they bother someone else to do it for them.

Once within sight of the front doors two guards rushed to take the trees, frantically asking why they didn't bring help with them. After thanking the guards, Leila and Kira watched them be set up for decorating. "I'm sorry for pulling you away from your Christmas plans." Leila still felt guilty, despite Vlad telling her that Kira had been glad to come.

Kira reaffirmed his earlier reassurance, "You don't need to be sorry, I didn't have any plans besides being with Mencheres which hasn't changed. Now we just get to celebrate with more people, nothing wrong with that." A knot of tension relaxed in Leila at Kira's excitement. It was foreign for someone besides Vlad or Marty to actually enjoy her company, but Leila was slowly getting used to it.

The guards signaled that they were done setting up the trees before bowing and taking their leave. Leila looked up at the towering trees with wonder and trepidation. Ever since Vlad had gotten the call earlier she had a bad feeling that refused to go away no matter how much she tried to ignore it. It hadn't helped that Vlad had thrown up the wall between them shortly after taking the call. She tried to tell herself that there were lots of reasons he would do that, but that screaming feeling that something was wrong refused to leave.


	11. Leila and Vlad's First Christmas Part 4

**Okay this was only suppose to be a oneshot, but it really took on its own life. I'm still not seeing where the end is. If you have any thoughts or opinions please review!**

Vlad was pacing the floor of his study with smoke pouring off of him. Mencheres stood silently to the side, waiting for Vlad to speak. He didn't have to wait long, "Those insolent fools! Do they really think that I would grant them leadership of their own lines simply because I wish to remain here with Leila instead of answering their challenges?!" The previous smoke had turned into a full fire that covered his upper body. Vlad knew he was venting as a distraction from the real issue and so did Mencheres, who brought up what Vlad was dreading to think on.

"You will have to leave immediately to reach them in time to answer their challenge. If you don't then others under your line take it as a sign of weakness." Vlad let out a sigh, letting go of his rage for now. He would feel more than enough of it when he dealt with the fools who thought it was a good idea to tear him from his wife's side near the holidays.

The meeting place was to be a days flight away and once he got there he had a number of challenges from various members of his line to deal with. After dealing with those he would have to stay even longer afterwards to make an example of those who had sought to make him appear weak.

Even if he left immediately and put all of his focus on getting through the challenges quickly it would take him at least a week to return home which would guarantee that he missed spending Christmas with Leila and possibly New Years as well. Equal parts rage and resignation flowed through him. He hated to leave Leila over the holidays, especially considering how excited she had been, but he had no choice now. If he waited until after Christmas, just as Mencheres had said, his people would no doubt do similar things in the future and he couldn't afford that.

Which left him with only one option, leave Leila here and go deal with his challengers. After he won the fights, as he knew he would, he would make a public display of showing them why it had been a bad idea to try their little stunt. Once he was finished no one would dare try this again for fear of what he would do to them, but that still left him with the problem of leaving his wife during the holidays.

Mencheres could plainly see the thoughts going through Vlad's head, softening his expression as he spoke. "You don't have a choice in the matter, Leila is a reasonable woman. She will understand, she may be disappointed naturally, but she won't hold it against you."

It had never once crossed Vlad's mind that she wouldn't understand, because he knew his wife and Mencheres was right. She would be disappointed without a doubt, but she wasn't the type to hold such things against him. Although he briefly wished that just this once she would. It would be easier for him to know that she was angry with him while he was away than for her to be lonely or hurt while he was unable to do anything to make it better. "I know she will, but she shouldn't have to."

Mencheres nodded his understanding, many times he had to make decisions that cancelled plans with Kira and while she was understanding it aggravated him no less. The people who were the cause of his being pried from her side generally quickly regret it when they were forced to deal with the sharp end of his temper. He had no doubt that the fools behind this attempt would come to regret their decision as well.

"I will stay as long as you are gone, you need not worry about this being an attempt at an ambush again. I doubt that there is worry for one, but if there is I will handle it." Mencheres voice rang with determination and a hint of blood thirst. Briefly Vlad was reminded of the conqueror his sire use to be and he almost hoped his enemies were stupid enough to try anything. It would almost be worth it, knowing that what Mencheres would do to them would exceed his own methods of torture, but no. Leila deserved a calm Christmas if nothing else and she would get that, Vlad had seen to it by calling his sire.

Letting a sigh past his lips, Vlad straightened. There was no more putting it off, he had little enough time as it was to get ready and leave. He needed to tell Leila of the changes in plan. Heading toward the door, Vlad steeled himself for his wife's disappointment.

When Mencheres and Vlad entered the room Kira and Leila were looking through the ornaments and deciding which would go on what tree. Kira was the first to spot them. Her smile freezing on her face when she saw the grim look on Mencheres. Leila noticed Kira's expression and turned only to see the same expression on Vlad. She instantly knew that her feeling had been right earlier and that call had been something bad. I hate it when I'm right, briefly flashed through her mind.

With resignation and wariness Leila asked, "What happened?" Vlad grimaced at her tone, but explained the situation. By the end Leila looked just as disappointed as he had expected her to be. She tried to hide it, but he had five hundred years experience reading people.

"And you'd be gone a week?" Vlad could practically hear her thoughts. That would be the longest they had been away from each other since her capture. Fighting back the urge to tell his people where they could stuff their challenges and simply dealing with the fall out later, he approached her.

"At least, possibly longer depending on how long it takes me to push through all the challengers and make an appropriate example of them. Mencheres has already agreed to stay for however long it takes." Vlad watched as Leila threw Mencheres an appreciative look before focusing back on him. He watched as she put a fake smile on and prepared to see him off, the sight sitting like glass in his gut.

"Well it can't be helped and hey at least Mencheres and Kira are here to celebrate with me right?" Her forced optimism grated against his emotions and he snapped before he could stop himself.

"Stop pretending to be okay with this, I told you that you never need to hide your emotions with me and that still stands true. It is fine to be disappointed or angry, I most certainly am, but don't make yourself be anything that you aren't." Vlad felt like biting his tongue off when he saw a flash of hurt cross his wife's face. He could faintly see both Kira's wince at his words and Mencheres reproachful glance, but before he could take it back Leila spoke.

"You're right. I shouldn't try to fake anything with you, but old habits die hard. I am sad that you have to go." Here she stopped to walk up and wrap her arms around him. "But I'm not angry with you. This isn't something that you can fix and me being angry at you will do nothing, but make you even more miserable than you already will be." Her words made his stomach warm more thoroughly than blood ever would. Her next sentence made him grin in savage anticipation.

"I will however be angry at the dipshits that made this necessary so instead of feeling guilty about having to do your job, I have a counter offer. Finish your challenges and afterwards make such an example out of them that no one will dare ever try this again and then we celebrate properly once you get home safely. It doesn't matter when we celebrate, as long as we're together right?"

Vlad stroked her face, the familiar determined expression a comfort to him. "Yes, you are right. We will celebrate when I return and it will be no different than if we had celebrated on the actual day. And Leila?"

Here he leaned down to brush his lips over the shell of her ear and whispered for only her to hear, "When I return, nothing will interrupt us from putting your present to use. So be sure you are well rested for then. I don't plan for either of us to be leaving that room for at least two days." Leila's eyes immediately flared bright green, alerting anyone in the vicinity of the nature of what he had told her.

Leila eyed Vlad, green gaze running over him hungrily. "And I take it that you have to leave soon." He could see the plans forming in her mind and hated having to be the one to tell her no. He needed to leave soon or he would stay despite the consequences.

Taking her hand that had been slowly trailing up his chest, he lifted it to his mouth and kissed it in apology. "I must leave immediately to get there in time. If that weren't the case I would have already thrown you over my shoulder to take you to bed before leaving." Leila smiled at his words before sighing in resignation. Well if she couldn't send him off properly then at least she could do this…

"Hey guys, could you give us the room for a minute?" Noises of agreement sounded before the room was suddenly empty of all but them. Vlad narrowed his eyes, having an idea of where she was going with this.

"Leila, we don't have time for this. I refuse to rush through our love making. I would prefer to wait and give you the time and attention that you deserve-" Vlad stopped as Leila dropped down to her knees in front of him, hands unbuttoning his pants as she ignored what he was saying.

"I know you don't do quickies, which is why I'm not asking for one. You may not have a lot of time, but I'd like to think I've gotten good at this and with some effort it shouldn't take me long. You probably already have someone packing your bag for you and the plane takes about fifteen minutes to be ready anyway. I want you to remember this when you're dealing with those idiots. I want you to remember what you have waiting for you at home."

Vlad stared down at her in shock, she had never been this bold before. He knew that he could tell her to stop and she would, albeit reluctantly, but he knew that this was her way of dealing with not being allowed what she had been looking forward to. She couldn't have him for the week they had planned, in fact she couldn't even have him for the rest of the day, but she could send him off in the best way she knew how. It wasn't nearly what she wanted, but it would have to be enough. So, with a groan, he snapped out an order in Romanian for no one to enter the room on threat of death and nodded his agreement.

Usually he refused to take pleasure from his wife while knowing that for one reason or another, he couldn't give it back, but right now he knew that Leila wanted him. She didn't have time to have him in the way she wanted, but she could have this. So he would give himself to her now in the way she wanted, and when he returned he would pay her back ten fold.

RATED M****

Grinning up at him, Leila quickly dragged his pants down, giving her access to his manhood which already stood partially erect for her. Not wasting a second, Leila moved to kneel between his legs. Leaning against his hip she licked a path from the sharp point down to the hair at his navel. Only stopping to wrap her fingers around his base, before locking her lips on the head and sliding down to engulf him. She felt more than heard him groan, the vibrations rolling through her jaw and throat sending tingles straight to her groin which she promptly ignored in favor of swallowing around her mouthful.

Vlad's hands wrapped into her hair, tugging on her scalp in a way that made her purr, resulting in another moan accompanied with a shallow thrust that he tried to hold back. Feeling him restraining himself, Leila pulled one hand away from his length and placed it over the one in her hair. His eyes snapped open in alarm, immediately looking into her own for signs of distress.

His mouth went slack with shock when instead of pulling his hand away, she linked their fingers together and pushed on her head until her lips touched his base. The message made clear, she moved her hand to cradle his hip with her thumb stroking the sensitive skin in the V of his stomach.

Vlad threw his head back with a guttural moan at the sight of his length disappearing inside his wife's mouth. His wife who had never stopped staring into his eyes, allowing him to see her love for him while he took his pleasure from her.

Letting his control go, he tightened his hold on her hair before using the new leverage to piston in and out of her mouth. Her teeth lightly scraping the top of his throbbing erection every time he pulled out while her tongue caressed the underside. The combination of those and her eyes which burned bright green with her lust and love sent him over the edge.

Gripping her head to his groin, his body shook as he groaned out his release. The tremors rolling through his body feeling as if they were shaking him apart piece by piece. He came back to himself to find that he still had her head pressed to his stomach and his hips still gave miniature thrusts as if still chasing his orgasm. Slowly relaxing his grip on her hair, he watched as she reconnected their eyes before sliding off his length with a loud pop. The sight almost aroused him again, even though he had just finished coming.

RATED M FINISHED****

Taking her hands off his hips, he helped her stand back up despite her being more than capable of doing it herself. The second she was at her full height he lunged forward and claimed her mouth with his own. He allowed his shields to crack enough for her to feel his appreciation, contentment, and his love for her before closing them tightly again.

Glancing at the clock with reluctance, Vlad knew that he had to leave now. While he didn't regret the delay or the reason for it, he couldn't afford to stall anymore. Leila understood, not saying a word as she redid his pants before wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace which he wasted no time in returning. Into his shoulder she muttered, "I'll stay in the house and close to Mencheres or Kira until you get home, so don't worry about me. Focus on getting through the fights and coming home to me alright?"

Although she didn't outright say it, Vlad knew what she was really asking. She wanted him to be careful, he was strong but he wasn't invincible. To allay her concerns he swept a kiss into her hair before replying, "I will call you after I get off the plane and at least three times a day afterward. Once when I wake up, once after the challengers of the day are finished, and once before I go to sleep. If you feel the need to call me for any reason, even if it is only to talk because you are feeling lonely, text first. If I am able I will call you immediately or at the earliest convenience. If there is an emergency, link to me and I will come back immediately." Waiting to receive her nod, he cupped her face in his hands before continuing. "I love you and I will come back safely."

When Leila's eyes opened they were misty with pink tears which she quickly blinked back. "I love you too and you better, because if you think I won't march into enemy territory myself to drag your butt back then you've got another thing coming."

A bark of laughter pushed from his chest, he pulled her into one final kiss goodbye. A knock on the door brought his attention back to the present. "The plane is ready and your bag is already loaded." Mencheres hadn't opened the door, showing forethought, and Vlad smiled without humor. Forcing his arms to uncoil from Leila, he took a step back. Looking at her face for a painstaking minute before she let out a laugh of disbelief.

"At this rate you won't make it there in time. Go on, go kick ass and take names. I'm sure you'll have lots to tell me when you get back and remember the faster you get it over with the faster you can come home."

Vlad's eyes burnt green at the reminder of his promise on his return. Nodding determinedly, he brushed the hair out of her face before disappearing in a rush. Leila forced herself to stand still with the same smile pasted onto her face as she listened to the distant sound of the plane taking off. Just to be extra careful, she even waited a few minutes after the plane had disappeared before letting her smile drop and her eyes fill.

She refused to let Vlad see her crying, he was already guilty enough even though there was nothing he could do about the situation. Besides, she just needed a good cry and then she would pull herself together and deal with it like a grown up. Arms slid around her shoulders making her jolt in surprise. Glancing up, Leila relaxed as Kira's sympathetic gaze met hers.

She wasn't sure why it being Kira made it okay, but for some reason she felt like Kira wouldn't mock her for what she was feeling, which is more than she could say of Gretchen. Glancing around the room to be sure that there was no one else, Leila dropped her head against Kira's shoulder and let all the frustration and disappointment out.

Vlad sat in the plane, fingers gripping the armrest hard enough to break it. Leila thought he hadn't noticed her emotions rising to painful levels, but he knew her better than anyone else. He knew that she didn't want to break down in front of him though, so he made his leave as quickly as he could before he changed his mind.

He couldn't afford to let himself do that, but the knowledge that his wife was most likely in tears at this very moment felt like silver twisting into his chest. His only comfort was that he highly suspected that Kira had gone to comfort Leila after he had left.

She had been hovering outside of the hall, far enough away to not overhear anything, but close enough to notice when he left. She had looked worried and the instant she had seen him she had given him her best wishes for his trip before rushing past him to the room that held his wife.

Mencheres had simply smiled sadly, "It appears that our ladies have grown closer. I'm glad, they could both use a friend." Vlad was glad as well, not just because Leila would have someone to comfort her. He had noticed that when Leila had told him of her younger life she had never mentioned friends and he had guessed that she hadn't had any due to her abilities or scars scaring the other children away. It was a relief that she had at least one now. Vlad had been contemplating setting a day to meet with Cat, hopefully Cat could be a friend to Leila just as she was a friend to him.

Biting back a sigh, he looked out the window at the clouds. The hardest part was over, making himself leave Leila while knowing that she would be hurting from his absence. Now he could focus on doing everything in his power to get home to her as quickly as possible.

As he leaned back into the seat he remembered the gift wrapped under the tree and cursed. It would be a week before they could put that to use now and while his homecoming was sure to be a pleasure neither of them would soon forget that didn't make him any less irritated at the delay.

To his surprise, he found that he actually looked forward to being tied down by her. Although, after thinking deeply about it, he shouldn't be surprised that he would want it. He knew how it felt when Leila allowed him to blindfold her, the trust that she had in him that nothing would happen to her while he was there had almost brought him to his knees with arousal. He wanted Leila to feel that and more.

His mind wandered to Leila's parting gift to him and his eyes flashed green at the memory. She had wanted him to remember and there was no way he wouldn't after that. He would be lucky if he managed to get through his challengers without becoming aroused at an inopportune time.

Then again, his mood darkened as he thought, he would be too focused on making his enemies regret taking him from his lovers side to think of anything else until he was on his way home again.

He glared down at his arousal as it began to stir to life. When he had been mentally considering the effects his separation from Leila would have on him he had not considered his painful arousal and not having an outlet for it. Biting back another sigh Vlad knew that next week was going to be miserable, for both him and Leila.


	12. Leila and Vlad's First Christmas Part 5

**Don't hate me, but there is still one more part to this story. I know I'm evil for separating them on Christmas, but this idea was perfect and I couldn't leave it alone. After the next chapter there is possibly one more, but I'll detail it at the bottom of this chapter and you can decide if you guys want it or not.**

When the plane touched down many hours later, Vlad was full of rage and ready to take it out on those who had forced him into this situation. Maximus grabbed both of their bags before following him as they exited. They had to check into a hotel before they could go to the meeting place. While Maximus made the arrangements, Vlad called Leila to tell her that they had landed safely.

The phone barely rang once before he heard her voice answer. "Vlad?" He smiled to himself, even hearing her voice was a relief although not nearly as much as he would prefer. "Yes, we have landed safely and are checking in to a hotel. Afterwards we will be going to the challengers and I will be dealing with the first round of those. I will not be answering my phone, but I will be sure to call you once I am back at the hotel."

He could hear her sigh of relief, "Thank you, I know you're not used to checking in with anyone, but I appreciate it." He didn't need to see her to know how grateful she was, it resonated in her voice.

"I told you that I would, I understand the worry of not knowing where I am so I will do my best to alleviate it from you. The same way you promised to stay in the house and near Mencheres to alleviate mine." A hum was his only answer before a comfortable silence settled between them. Neither having anything in particular to say, but both enjoying the others presence too much to hang up.

It was interrupted much too soon by Maximus informing him that the room was ready and his challengers were getting impatient. With a sigh, Vlad ended the call after they shared their goodbyes. Turning the phone off, he handed it to Maximus without further thought. He couldn't afford to be distracted during the next few hours, better for Maximus to keep his phone until they returned to the hotel. After a shower and change of clothes both of them set out for the meeting place.

Looking up at the building in front of him, Vlad was sorely not impressed. The design was bulky and too ostentatious, as if the people behind it were trying for elegant and had failed miserably. Instead the building's design called for attention in the same way a circus does, with loud noises and colors meant to capture the attention of the people.

Shaking his scathing thoughts away, he straightened before walking into the entryway. Not stopping at the front desk, he powered on until he found the conference room where the challenges were to be held.

Slamming the doors open so hard that they bounced off the connecting walls, he lets his power flow freely from him as he entered the room to face those who had challenged him.

There were at least fifty of his people, all gawking openly at him. Their surprise quickly melted into a frozen fear as they felt the frothing rage that was coming off of him in waves. Vlad looked out over all in attendance, taking note of who all was involved in this attempt to take advantage of his love for his wife. On a first glance he immediately knew that none of the people in attendance had been under his line for more than forty years at best. He bit back a scoff of disbelief, these greenhorns thought that they could get the better of him that easily? Although it made sense, seasoned members of his line would know better than to try something this stupid. No, they would wait and see if their younger members stunt worked before attempting it themselves.

As much as he loathed to admit it, he was glad that he had chosen to deal with this now. While none of those present would be any danger to him, if the older members of his line had decided to try anything similar then things would look considerably more bleak. He was here now and could cut this off at the head. Afterward, he promised himself, neither he nor Leila would leave their chambers for at least two if not three to four days. That would be the least he had earned after he finished dealing with these fools.

Allowing his most terrifying smile yet to curl his lips, Vlad glanced back over the people and almost laughed as their faces blanked in unison. They had apparently expected him to not show, had in fact been confident enough in it to not even think he might appear, and what he would do to them when he did so never crossed their minds. He could see clearly as they all realized their oversight, and began to truly consider what he would do to them now that he was here. Almost immediately one of the youngest members in the room shouted out with fear leaking from his every pore, "I repeal my challenge!"

Vlad kept that same smile on his face as he nodded his acceptance, some of the older members looked at him in shock at his easy compliance. A part of Vlad wanted to simply accept all of their repeals and go home. That insidious voice whispered that he could still make it home in time to celebrate with Leila. He quickly pushed those thoughts back. He knew without a doubt that if he went home without dealing with this Leila would be furious with him for letting these oafs have their way. No, for his reputations sake and for the sake of keeping the peace with his wife, he would stay and see this through to the end. By the time he was finished, word would spread of what happened to those who would dare to try anything similar.

Before the vampire who had spoken could finish his blink, his lower body was on fire. The screams rang out throughout the room, the other challengers visibly wincing or turning away from the sight, the fire burned bright until it was almost blinding. When it died down, all that was a pile of ash. Doing a purposefully slow glance at each and every face in the room, Vlad's voice boomed out. "Would anyone else like to take back their challenge?" Not surprisingly, none were forthcoming. He watched as realization played across each of the faces in the room, they were all coming to understand that their foolish choice would be their deaths for he would kill them whether through a challenge or without one. Keeping his smile firmly in place, Vlad asked the room at large. "So who will be dying first?"

By the end of the day, Vlad had swept through close to a dozen of the original fifty challengers.

None had tried to run to their credit, but he had issued a warning before retiring to his hotel. "I have touched every single one of you before which means that if you try to escape I will simply burn you to death once you fail to arrive here, on time, tomorrow. I advise you to get any of your affairs in order now and ,if you have a faith, say your final prayer before I send you to meet your maker."

At the pace he was going it would take at least four days instead of the original three that he had planned to get through all of his challengers, and he still had to make an example out of those who survived, which would take even more time. He had been hoping to be home for New Years, but it looked like that wasn't to be. Blowing out a breath, he felt his temperature rising in irritation. Maximus's timely knock stopped him before he could begin to smoke.

Entering without hesitation, Maximus drew out Vlad's phone from his pocket before throwing it to him. "I thought you would like this back, I'm sure Leila will be worrying about you. Although after seeing those that were gathered, she has no reason to." A sardonic smile twisted his mouth as he spoke.

Vlad snorted at how similar his statement was to what he had originally thought upon arriving. "I will be sure to tell her when I call her, it may bring her some relief to know I am fighting imbeciles." Shifting the phone in his hand, he nodded for Maximus to leave. He did, but only after shooting a quip over his shoulder.

"You should definitely call your wife sooner rather than later, it might help your temper." The door closed before Vlad could snipe back. Maximus was lucky that he had been Vlad's friend for centuries or he would surely have paid for comments like that.

Shaking off his irritation, Vlad sat down and finally dialed his wife's number. The phone rang twice this time before Leila's voice came across. The slight drowsiness to her tone told him that he had woken her. With a silent curse, he remembered the time difference. Shaking his head, he focused on the call, Leila would prefer he wake her than for her to wake up only to hear nothing from him. "Apologies for waking you, the time difference slipped my mind. I was just calling to inform you that I have arrived safely back to the hotel and have completed around a fourth of the challenges without a scratch to show for it."

He could practically hear her scoff at his typical arrogant reply. The sound of sheets shifting alerted him to her being in bed and what wonderful imagery that painted.

"I don't mind being woken up as long as it's by you. Anyone else risks their life and limbs. All joking aside, I'm glad you're not having trouble with the fights. I know you're strong, but I still worry."

Vlad stretched out on the bed, content listening to Leila's voice as she spoke. He had never thought that someone's voice would have such an effect on him, but he didn't mind it in the slightest. "I would tell you not to worry, but I know that you can't help it anymore than I can. To put your mind at ease, none of my opponents are above fifty years of age. Older members of my line would never plan something like this, because they know it is doomed to fail."

Leila's silence was shocked, before she burst out with an incredulous tone. "Seriously? The idiots aren't even fifty but they thought it would be a good idea to try to make you do anything? And they didn't consider what you would do on the off chance you actually showed up? That is a special kind of stupid…"

Vlad laughed as she went on a miniature tirade over the stupidity of his newest adversaries. He sobered at her next words though. "Hell if I had known they were that young I might have come with you anyway. Just to kick their ass myself for interrupting our plans for their stupid idea." While the thought was funny in it's own way, Vlad knew that he still would have to make a public display out of them which he didn't want her to see.

He could understand her frustration though, they had both been disappointed by this turn of events and to learn that the ones behind it hadn't even hit their first half-century of life and were stupid enough to think this plan would work made their separation worse. Their holiday was cut short thanks to people's stupidity, not a cunning plot made by a new enemy and it left a bitter taste in both of their mouths.

"Amusing as the thought is, I still wouldn't want you to be witness to the things I will be doing to them. I must make an example of them, or I will be drowned in challenges by the next morning."

"Oh I know, it doesn't make me want to stomp their ass any less, but I do understand. Besides it probably wouldn't look great if it was your wife doing the stomping instead of you right?" Leila was correct in her guess, if she dealt with the challenges then his enemies would leap on the insinuation that Vlad couldn't fight them himself. Better for him to handle it and rush home afterwards.

"You are correct, although it would almost be worth it for the look of surprise on my enemies faces when they are beaten by a newly turned vampire who isn't even a quarter of their age." He smiled at the mental image of some of his more irritating enemies in just that scenario, before shaking his head to clear it. Again he heard her shift, only this time he heard what sounded like a stiffer fabric brushing against their sheets. His confusion was plain in his voice when he spoke, "What are you wearing?"

Before he could think about the connotations of that question, Leila laughed on the other end of the phone. "Well then, is it going to be one of _those _calls? Should I go change into something sexy for this discussion?" He could hear Leila stifling her laughter throughout her questioning and internally sighed. He should've seen that one coming, but he hadn't thought about the double meaning before he spoke. He refused to partake in that activity, as she well knew, but he could play along to see what her reaction was.

"And if I said yes it is one of those calls? What would you answer?" He heard silence as she considered his question.

"I would first call you on your bullshit because I know you would never go for that and then I would ask you how your day went. However, since we're talking in hypothetical situations here, I would have to say I am currently wearing one of your shirts...and nothing else."

Vlad wasn't sure if he should laugh or groan, she had to put that imagine into his head didn't she? There was no way he would be able to sleep now, not that he had figured he would get a lot of sleep while away from her anyway. "The fabric sounds stiff, why would you choose one of my dress shirts to sleep in when you could choose the softer casual wear?"

It was a minor subject change for the sake of his ability to sleep tonight, but either Leila didn't notice or didn't mind because she answered, albeit hesitantly. "The other ones smelled like detergent, I grabbed this one before the staff got to it so it still smells like you."

His mirth faded at her words, while he was pleased at the thought of her in his clothes, as he always was, the reason behind it dampened both of their moods. There was nothing he could say that would make this situation any better so he settled on, "Ah. I take it that you were having difficulties sleeping?" It was said as a question, but he already knew the answer. They had discovered months ago that neither of them slept well when separated.

"Yeah, unfortunately that is still a problem. I've been in and out of restless sleep for a few hours now." She trailed off, not sure what to say, but wanting to keep talking. Vlad picked up on that and redirected the conversation in the hopes of bringing her mood back up.

"What did you occupy yourself with after I left? Kira mentioned decorating with you and Mencheres." His subject switch did the trick, Leila began to detail her day. Getting comfortable against the pillows Vlad closed his eyes, taking in her voice as it relaxed him further.

"Kira and I decorated most of the trees, but we couldn't reach the tops so Mencheres flew Kira up to do it. He offered to fly me too but I'm not exactly comfortable with being lifted via telekinesis. After that we moved on to hanging the other decorations, which took up the rest of the day. Oh, Gretchen sent me the pictures because she didn't have your number. Want me to send them to you?"

After giving her an affirmative, his phone beeped notifying him of the incoming photos. He would look at them after they hung up, there was no rush after all they weren't going anywhere.

Their conversation continued as such until Vlad noticed how many hours had passed. With a sigh, he reluctantly bid her good night, knowing that if he didn't do so then he would stay up all night talking about nothing with her and, while the thought was appealing, he needed to be focused for tomorrow. After they had both said their good nights, he finally looked at the pictures.

A smile pulled at his lips when he saw the clear view of the kitchen, he and Leila were wrapped together, both facing the camera. They were staring into one another's eyes and seeing his own expression made him understand why she had known he loved her before he had allowed himself to acknowledge it. His eyes were warmer than he had ever seen and he was smiling genuinely down at her. A complete stranger could look at this photo and know that he thought of her as his world and nothing less. Moving to the next, his smile stretched even further in amusement.

They were locked at the mouth, completely ignorant of the world around them and Leila's pants had two clear hand prints to match the one white one on his cheek. He chuckled at the memory of their flour fight and the mess it left in the kitchen.

The last picture must have been taken after he left, Mencheres had both hands wrapped around Kira's waist as he lifted her up to decorate the higher branches of the trees. Leila stood off to the side of the picture, almost completely cut out of the frame. She was watching Mencheres and Kira with a small smile, but it wasn't her smile at caught Vlad's attention. It was her eyes, she had a look of such longing that he could feel it in his own chest as he looked at her.

Sighing, Vlad set the phone to the side before laying back with his arms crossed over his chest. It was only one day into his errand and he was already having difficulty resisting the urge to get on the nearest plane and go back home. If today was any indication, the rest of the week was going to go by at a crawl. Grunting in irritation at his thoughts, he rolled over in an attempt to get comfortable only to shift again moments later.

After an hour of tossing and turning, he sighed in frustration as he stared at the ceiling. Barely a year into their relationship and she has made it where he is unable to sleep without her at his side. If he didn't know better he would call it witchcraft. Deciding that attempting to sleep was pointless, Vlad stood and began his morning routine of getting ready. There was still a few hours left before his first challenge of the day, but anything was better than staring at the ceiling while knowing that he wouldn't sleep.

Christmas morning broke bright and clear with not a cloud in the sky. Leila stretched languidly across the bed before automatically reaching for the person who wasn't there. Her hand landing on nothing jogged her memory and also plummeted her mood. She hadn't gotten much of any sleep the night before despite her best efforts. If this was how the rest of the week was going to go then she was going to be a zombie by the time Vlad returned. She only hoped that he slept better than she did, since he would be fighting he would need the sleep more.

Heaving a sigh, Leila got up and began her routine. After pulling on her jeans she moved to choose a shirt only to hesitate. Glancing down at Vlad's shirt that still faintly smelled of him, she made her decision. Pulling off the shirt long enough to slip on a bra, she quickly replaced the shirt before tucking the excess into her waistband. Looking in the mirror, she smiled a tad limply before shaking her head and trying again.

Kira was excited about spending Christmas with Leila so, considering that she and Mencheres had changed their plans for them, the least Leila could do was paste on a smile.

It's only for a week, she reminded herself, but it sounded weak despite her best efforts. Trying again with the smile, she managed something closer to her goal. With another sigh she gave it up, that was the closest she would come and Kira wouldn't care if she wasn't as bright and fluffy in the morning as normal, given the circumstances. Straightening her shoulders, Kira walked across the fourth floor toward where Kira and Mencheres were staying for their visit.

When she was a few paces away she tilted her head, hearing a weird sound, before blanching and doing an about face. She would give them a few hours to finish what they were doing, if they weren't down by noon then she would go and check on them.

Walking toward the kitchen, she found herself missing the extra staff that were normally bustling around. Vlad had offered them the day off and a good portion of them had taken it, which Leila would never fault them for, but the castle felt...empty.

In all her time living here it had never felt empty, not surprising with the sheer number of staff. Shaking off her thoughts she entered the kitchen and froze. All of the mess from her and Vlad's flour fight had been cleaned up and in its place was a platter covered in cookies. Picking one up, she inhaled deeply, fighting back the wave of tears as she faintly heard the sound of her mother's voice instructing her on how to mix the dough just right.

Even though she knew better, she took a bite. Grimacing at the taste, Leila got herself some water and made herself finish the cookie. She wasn't about to throw it away because she had the bright idea to eat it while knowing she wouldn't like it, that was a waste of a good cookie. The sight of the platter brought back bitter sweet memories, so turning on her heel she walked out of the kitchen.

Leila lifted her head high, she was going to do her best to stay out of a bad mood today. She and Vlad would celebrate once he got back, their holiday wasn't canceled, just postponed until then.

Nodding in determination, she breezed to the main hall where the biggest tree stood. Sitting on the couch, she took in the splendor of the decorated to the nines room. Garland was draped gracefully around the room, the tree was covered in ornaments of every kind, and the presents were all perfectly wrapped and placed under the tree.

One of the presents caught her attention, as it hadn't been there yesterday. Moving over, she saw that it was for her from Vlad. With a pang she remembered his words, your present has arrived. Feeling the stubborn tears start to build up, she brutally stomped her emotions down and stood. She would wait until Vlad was back before opening it. She already knew what was in it and seeing it before he returned would only drag her mood down.

Glancing around again at the elaborate decorations, she grimaced. Who was she kidding, there was nowhere she could go that wouldn't remind her of Vlad. She had walked every inch of this castle with him at one point of another, she was just going to have to smile for the camera until the day was over. That was one thing she had learned during the holidays, once Christmas was done the worst of the loneliness would abate, she just had to wait it out and hope that it held true now as it had then.

Just as she was considering going back to bed, even though she knew that she wouldn't sleep it was still better than sitting here and feeling sorry for herself, a voice broke through her daze. "I know that look and you are not going to curl into your hole until Christmas is over." Spinning away from the dazzling lights on the tree, Leila came face to face with Gretchen who was holding up her phone and obviously recording.

Leila raised a hand to block the camera lens without hesitation, "Come on Gretchen, don't do that. I don't feel like having a camera in my face right now." She noted how tired she sounded and grimaced internally, she had been caught off guard by Gretchen and hadn't bothered to fake contentment. Gretchen wasted no time in jumping on that tidbit.

"Geez sis, you look like the walking dead, all pun intended. Did you get any sleep last night?" Leila fought back a grimace with mild success, "I got some…" She hedged, hoping that Gretchen would drop the subject. She should've known better, her sister never dropped it.

"Yeah, that's Leila speak for less than an hour. Well since you're up do you want to open presents?" Leila narrowed her eyes at the subject change. Usually Gretchen would hound her within an inch of her life if she showed wariness, but she seemed content to let the matter lie.

"I'm going to wait for Vlad to open the one from him, but I'll watch you open yours?" It came out as more of a question than a statement, but Gretchen beamed before grabbing her hand to propel her back toward the tree.

"That works for me, besides you can open my gift to you now and your hubby's later." Leila mumbled something about how Vlad wouldn't like her calling him that, but didn't argue further. Truth be told her curiosity was peaked, it had been years since she had gotten anything from her sister and she had no idea what it could be.

Sitting down, Leila didn't notice Gretchen placing her phone on the table so the camera faced both of them. Gretchen bounded over with a brightly wrapped giant box in one arm with her own present in the other. Plopping down next to Leila, she wasted no time in tearing through the paper with a child like glee. When she uncovered the gift, she squealed in joy. "You got me that dress I wanted! I thought you weren't listening!" She reached across the mess of paper to pull Leila into a one armed hug. Leila shrugged, smiling tiredly at her sister's enthusiasm. "I told you that I was, I just don't understand most of the designer labels so I was only understanding parts of what you said."

Gretchen practically vibrated with excitement, turning to Leila she nudged her to open her own gift. "Go on! I can't wait to see the look on your face!" Her sister's excitement made her smile, this reminded her of when they were kids and Gretchen couldn't contain herself, bouncing all over the place. Pulling the box squarely into her lap, she glanced curiously at Gretchen who made impatient hand gestures for her to hurry up.

Chuckling, Leila tore into the paper until a plain wooden chest was sitting in her lap. It had nicks all over it, announcing it's used status and confusing Leila. What could Gretchen have gotten her that would include a wooden chest? Even as her hands drifted over it, something about it felt familiar. It prodded at the back of her mind with a foreboding feeling, which she promptly brushed away. Gretchen wouldn't give her anything bad, their relationship had gotten better lately.

Ignoring her odd feeling, Leila opened the chest only to immediately realize why she had a bad feeling about the chest. Inside were hundreds of old photos. Birthdays, holidays, and just because their mother happened to think that they looked cute while holding a camera at the time all stared up at her. Leila felt the room spin as memories of the last time she had looked though these assaulted her. Dimly, she noted that the videos were all off to the side neatly stacked. Although, the ones her father destroyed weren't present for obvious reasons.

Gretchen, unknowing of the Pandora's box she had unwittingly opened, happily chattered on. "I know that you have been avoiding the house lately because of Dad being a dick, but you deserve to have these. I brought over all of Mom's old videos and photos. The ones I wanted I already copied so those are all yours. A few of the videos are missing, but that probably happened in a move. So what do you think?"

Leila stared down at the box, a sick feeling gripping her stomach as memories battered her from all sides. This gesture was meant to be a caring one, and under other circumstances Leila would have deeply appreciated her sister's thought, but with her emotions already fried it was all she could do not to burst into tears on the spot. Her vision blackened around the edges, her fathers enraged voice seeming to bellow clearly through the air, despite him being a continent away.

Leila felt as her mind locked up under the torrential emotions bursting forward from the long buried memories. All sounds dulled into a buzzing as her mind replayed that dreaded night.

Thankfully, Gretchen took her silence as a compliment. "Wow I managed to strike you speechless, that's one for the history books! I'm going to go try this on, be right back!" As she breezed out of the room, Leila couldn't move. Still staring down at the trunk in her lap with trepidation and wariness, Leila felt as the tears started to flow but she couldn't find the willpower to stop them.

She didn't hear her phone begin to ring, or Kira and Mencheres entering the room. Kira for her part immediately noticed that something was wrong when Leila didn't respond when she called out to her. Cautiously moving to kneel by her, she took in the situation and after looking into the trunk took a guess as to what the problem was.

In the background, Leila's phone continued to ring. Every time it stopped to go to voicemail it would hang up and immediately begin again. Kira shot it a look before focusing on Leila as Mencheres knelt on Leila's other side. Kira tried a few more times to unsuccessfully get Leila's attention, worry flowing through her at her near catatonic state. The phone's ringing grating on her nerves, Kira asked Mencheres, "Honey, can you get that? It might be urgent."

Mencheres froze when he saw Gretchen's phone, the light blinking alerting him to the currently recording phone. Looking from the recording to the non stop ringing phone, it clicked who was on the other end of the video. Cursing internally, Mencheres sent his power out to snatch up Leila's phone before answering it.

"Vlad." Kira's head snapped around in confusion at his certainty of the callers identity without waiting for them to speak. Mencheres gestured to the phone still recording on the table, and with a flash of pain, Kira understood. She glanced for a second at the camera, uncertainty shown clearly on her face, before shifting to block Leila from view.

Before Mencheres could speak Vlad snapped out in a dangerous voice, "Put my wife on the phone immediately." Looking down at the still unresponsive Leila, Mencheres shook his head knowing that the camera would pick up on it, "She is currently unable to answer you."

He heard a feral snarl from across the line before Vlad spoke again, this time pausing between each word. "Put. Her. On. The. Phone...Now." Sighing at Vlad's temper, Mencheres knelt in front of Leila, gently nudging Kira back.

He brushed his power over Leila's hand, hoping to get a response out of her only to receive none. "Leila, Vlad is on the phone for you. You should talk to him, he is very worried about you." He saw a slight shift when he spoke Vlad's name, but she still seemed trapped in her own world. Sighing, he tried another approach. Sitting down on the side unoccupied by Kira, Mencheres lifted the phone to her ear and spoke to Vlad.

"She isn't responding to anything physical, but I believe she heard me. She at least registered your name." Mencheres listened as Vlad tried to bring his wife back to the present with the only thing he had available, his voice. It felt like silver in his heart to hear the distress in Vlad's tone as well as the obvious worry in Kira's eyes and being unable to do anything about it. The only thing he could do was hold the phone up and comfort his lover, while hoping that Vlad could pull Leila out of whatever trance she seemed to be in. He tugged Kira into his free arm, rubbing her back to comfort her while they both waited with bated breath.

"Leila, can you hear me?" No response and a strangled sound ripped through the phone before Vlad pushed on. "If you can hear me, you need to try to focus on anything other than what you're thinking about right now. Think on what we will do once I am home, or our wedding, just do not focus on the trunk or it's contents."

Mencheres watched as Vlad's words seemed to have no effect at first and he worried that Vlad would act rashly in the face of his wife's distress while being unable to help. If he left the challenges halfway finished then his line would speculate wildly and probably come to their own incorrect conclusions. Or Vlad could simply burn the entire building to the ground with all of his challengers in it in his distress, which would most likely get the attention of the law guardians. Just as Mencheres was debating knocking Leila unconscious to stop that very scenario from happening, he watched with relief as she blinked.

Kira still blocked the camera's sight of Leila, much to Vlad's frustration. "Kira, move." If it had been anyone else Mencheres would have warned them to never talk to her like that again, but given the current situation he would ignore it. Vlad was being forced to watch as his wife was being torn apart by invisible demons that no one else could see. Mencheres wouldn't be in the mood for pleasantries had their roles been switched.

Kira quickly moved, after receiving a nod from Mencheres, to give the camera a better angle. Vlad's voice, tense as a bowstring, came over the line again. "Someone get that fucking trunk away from her." Every word was bitten off, as he clung to his temper by a hair's breadth.

Kira immediately sprang up, gently she poked and massaged at Leila's hands until they released their grip before standing with it. "Where do you want me to take it?" Mencheres cut off what would have been a scathing reply from Vlad, "Take it to their chambers and place it in the farthest corner of the closet. " Kira wasted no time, disappearing in a blur of motion with the trunk in hand.

Mencheres focused back on Leila, watching for any signs that she was coming out of her trance. He heard as Vlad took a deep breath to force a calm that he didn't feel into his voice, "Leila, I need you to focus on me, my love. Focus on my voice, you always tell me that you like to hear it when you feel unhappy, so listen to it now."

Slowly, Leila swallowed and tilted her head towards the phone before speaking in a shaking voice. "I'm here." Vlad had to bite back a sigh of relief at hearing her voice, even as wrecked as it sounded.

"Yes, you are and I want you to do something for me. Are you still listening?" He received a shaky nod, "I want you to take the phone Mencheres is holding and I want you to turn on the video chat. After that, I want you to go to our room, go directly to the bed and get in. Keep talking to me as you do all of that, do you understand?"

This time she voiced her affirmative, sounding slightly less shaky now that she had a directive. Mencheres helped her stand up, before turning on the video chat for her when her hands shook too much.

Vlad's face appeared immediately, twisted harshly with worry. Leila's eyes snapped out of their previous daze, focusing intently on the screen. Relief washed through Mencheres as Leila came back to herself, bit by bit.

Vlad felt some of his own worry ebb at the sight of her eyes glued onto his own. They weren't out of the woods, but they were heading in the right direction. "Good, now I want you to go back to our room." Nodding absentmindedly, Leila blurred out of sight. Mencheres walked over to the recording phone and turned it off, just as Gretchen and Kira walked in.

Gretchen looked at her phone in Mencheres hand with curiosity. "So that's where I left it." Without prompting, Mencheres handed it over. "Leila received a call from Vlad and retired to their room for the day. I wouldn't expect her for awhile yet." Gretchen's eyes flashed with a knowing look, before a grin slid across her face.

"I figured that would happen at some point today. She'll enjoy her morning more if she spends it talking to her husband so I don't mind. I think I'll go for a walk around though, I don't want to overhear anything I shouldn't. "

Mencheres didn't bother to correct her assumptions, better for her to think that her sister merely left to have a nice chat instead of dealing with an emotional upheaval. After she left for her walk, Mencheres turned to Kira with a grim look. "We should keep close to her, just in case. I don't believe she will try to take her own life with Vlad speaking to her, but I don't wish to risk it." Kira agreed immediately, linking their arms as they returned to their room across from Vlad and Leila's.

A day's flight away, Vlad paced the room restlessly as his wife followed his instructions. When Gretchen had called him to tell him of her plan he had never foreseen this outcome. She had thought he would enjoy seeing Leila's reaction to her gifts and she had been correct. Even though he couldn't be there, he would enjoy seeing Leila's reactions as she celebrated with their friends. Gretchen hadn't mentioned what her present was going to be, or Vlad would have cut all of this off before it came to this.

Seeing Leila as she stared at the decorations, before she had noticed Gretchen there recording, had tugged on his heart. She looked like she had gotten no sleep, which her sister was quick to notice, and she was moving on autopilot. Her shock at the sight of the camera had quickly been replaced with her mask of faked happiness, much to his chagrin. It was weak at best, but it was enough to fool her sister.

Vlad had hoped that she had slept better than him, but apparently not. When Leila had hesitated before opening the trunk, he had known that something was wrong, but he didn't know how wrong until she had frozen up. Then her earlier words had come back to him, pulling an old trunk from the attic full of her mother's memorophilia.

The look on her face when she realized what was in her lap confirmed it. Vlad cursed when he saw the tears start to flow, and Leila's stiff form. He didn't want to cut the video feed since it was his only eye into the situation, so he called for Maximus to bring his phone.

He did so promptly, albeit confusedly. Before he could ask Vlad about the situation, he ordered Maximus out. Concerned but obedient, Maximus left. The next few minutes were agonizing as he watched the phone ring in the video, before Mencheres picked up. Wasting valuable time arguing with him, Vlad was relieved when he finally was given to Leila. His worry increased when she showed no signs of hearing him though. He had to fight back his frustration, it would help nothing if he snapped at her while trying to comfort her.

His patience was rewarded when she responded, although her voice was shaking it sounded like the most beautiful thing he had ever heard. After the video connected and she could see him Leila visibly improved. Her eyes focusing on him instead of the past as she took in what he said and moved to comply.

In other circumstances, his wife actually doing what he tells her would be something to celebrate, but now it twisted the knife in his chest. She was only obeying because her mind was too frozen to do anything else.

Turning back to the present, he watched as Leila made it to their room. She hesitated by the closet before shaking her head and going to their bed. Placing the phone so it was propped against a pillow, she burrowed down into their sheets with obvious relief. Once comfortable, she glanced at the phone with a weak smile. She had come back to herself on the walk to their room, and felt embarrassment at how she had reacted. "Sorry, I didn't mean to worry you. I'm fine now."

"No, you are not fine and there is nothing for you to apologize about. You can't control how you react to certain situations, I know that better than anyone." Leila bit her lip, knowing that he wouldn't budge on it, so she changed the topic.

"I'm glad Gretchen didn't see that, it was a nice gesture and I'm glad that she did it. Her timing just sucked. I'm sure it wouldn't have been that bad if everything didn't line up as it did." The things that had lined up wrong being Vlad's absence went unsaid. "Maybe after you get home I'll look through them, but…" Here she hesitated, a haunted look briefly flashed across her face. "I won't risk looking at them before then though. I know what it does to me and time won't have made my reaction and better."

Vlad bit the inside of his cheek until it bled, he was moments from flying back to her side and damning the consequences. He knew logically that it was a bad idea and that if he did that there would be massive repercussions, but seeing his wife shaking and crying while being unable to comfort her besides the paltry way he was drove him near insane with frustration. "If that is what you wish, then we can. I agree with you not looking through it alone, no matter what. Promise me that you won't until I am home."

Confusion spread through Leila, she had just told him that she didn't want to. Why did he want her to promise-. It clicked with a sudden clarity what Vlad was afraid of. He thought she might be suicidal again, and looking at all the facts she wasn't surprised he had come to that conclusion. Losing Marty, another near death experience, almost losing Vlad twice and now this. She pushed as much confidence into her voice as she could when she spoke next, hoping to reassure him that he never had to worry about that.

"I promise and Vlad? I know why you're asking that and you don't have to worry. This situation is completely different than back then. I had lost Mom and thought the rest of my living family hated me. Yes, I lost Marty and yes that stings, but I still have you. I know that I will always have you and I could never leave you alone, especially not like that. I know now that it hurts, but it's only temporary. Once you get home it will all feel better."

Vlad's eyes shut as he fought down his emotions, she had hit the nail on the head with his worries. When he opened them again, he looked calmer. "You are right, I will always be yours and when I come home neither of us are leaving our room for at least three days. At the rate things are going, I might extend it to a week."

Leila let out a chuckle, "Yeah, a week with nothing but you sounds divine after the last few days. I'll happily do whatever I can to help that happen."

Vlad's grinned slyly, "Well I'm sure we could keep ourselves occupied with no problems. Especially if we remember to bring your present from downstairs." His eyes burned green at the thought only to soften back to copper when Leila laughed.

"Even if we didn't, I still have no doubts that we could keep ourselves busy. Speaking of presents, have you opened yours yet?" Leila perked up, excited and nervous to see his reaction. as well as happy to be on a cheerier topic. Vlad raised an eyebrow, he hadn't seen any present in his pack. Pulling the bag from its spot under the bed, he wordlessly began searching through it for the aforementioned package.

It was when he was checking the outside pockets when he found it. A small rectangular box, carefully wrapped sat in his palm, barely covering the length. It had a tag on it only instead of his name on it, the words _My Dragon_ were printed.

Holding it up to the camera for affirmation, Leila nodded. "I wasn't sure what to get you since you can buy anything you could want. I settled on something that you couldn't buy in a store, but if you don't like it that's fine. The back up plan is blistering sex, which I know you'll like so there's that."

Humming in consideration, Vlad smiled, "I am certain I will enjoy what you got for me, but just the same we should still include your back up plan. Call it a second present if you will." Leila laughed before gesturing to the box.

"Go on, open it before we really do turn this into one of _those_ calls." Shooting her a smug smirk, he arranged the phone to have a clear view before carefully unwrapping his gift. Lifting the lid off of the box, he saw a small glass ornament. Upon further inspection, it was paperweight made of a peculiar substance. It was like no glass he had ever seen before, the light shining across it throwing an array of colors into the air. Leila's voice broke through his confusion over what exactly it was, "Hold it up to the light."

Doing so, he watched as an etched image in the surface glimmered, with shock he realized it was his family's crest. Somehow Leila had etched into this glasslike substance, the dragon that stood for his family, right down to the small details on the wings. Vlad glanced at Leila in wonder, "How did you do this? Also what is this made of? It is similar to glass, but seems sturdier."

Leila gave a shrug, "It is glass, but nothing made in a factory. It took me weeks to etch in the details and to keep it hidden from you, but by the look on your face I'd say it was worth it." Vlad thanked her, still fascinated as he turned it this way and that in the light, watching as the image shifted colors at each new angle.

"If it isn't man made then how did you come across it?" Leila grinned, she knew he would catch that.

"Here's a really interesting tidbit I learned when I was younger. When my lightning hits sand it turns it into glass, but the glass is different than the normal stuff. It's tougher for some reason and the colors are completely different than normal. I thought that it might make a nice desk ornament or something."

Vlad's smile grew, glass made from Leila's lightning and etched with his family's symbol. She had chosen perfectly for his gift, he would hang it by the window in their room though. If he were to put it in his study then it ran the risk of being broken, besides he didn't want to share this sight with anyone.

"It is beautiful and I will be sure to keep it safe until I am home." Leila beamed at his praise, that little thing hadn't been easy to make, but it was so worth it to see the look of amazement on Vlad's face whenever he held it up to the light. Maybe she could make another one but with a different design for next Christmas? It could be a new tradition for them.

As a comfortable silence spread Vlad looked carefully at Leila, examining her face for any lingering signs of distress. She caught his eye and smiled, more naturally this time. "You can stop looking at me like I'm going to break, I feel better already. Give it another twenty minutes of talking to you and I'll be fine to head out and celebrate with everyone. Mencheres and Kira are probably worried about me."

"If you think there will ever be a time when I don't worry about you, then you don't know me at all." His tone was joking, taking the bite out of the remark, but his face was serious. Leila smiled, "Yeah, I guess I can't ask you to not worry when I constantly do the same about you huh?"

"Unfortunately, worrying is a common side effect of love. It's the occupational hazard to caring for someone, which makes it unavoidable." Leila nodded her head in agreement at his assessment before a thought struck her.

"How did you know to call? Back in the other room?" Vlad's smile dropped into a frown. "Your sister thought I would enjoy seeing your reaction to her present, although she didn't tell me what it was at the time or I would have stopped her. She started a video call with me and then began the Christmas traditions with you. Her phone was pointed at you when you opened her present and I knew from your reaction that there was only one thing that it could be. Calling was the only way I could speak to you, so I did."

Leila winced, he had to see her have an emotional break while not being able to help, that must have been hell on him. As if hearing her thoughts, he spoke. "Stop worrying about my feelings while your own are in a precarious balance. The only thing that will make both of us feel comforted is my return, but until then our calls will have to do."

Giving a nod, Leila sighed. She should go out and face everyone, but she was comfortable here talking to Vlad. Vlad saw her reluctance and easily read what it was about. "I still have a few hours before I must meet with my challengers, if you want to continue our conversation."

Relief pushed through her veins, Leila wouldn't admit it, but she wasn't quite ready to stop talking to Vlad yet. His voice was a comfort that she desperately needed right now and Vlad had picked up on that, as he always did. Snuggling deeper into the blankets, Leila dragged Vlad's pillow closer before relaxing into the bed. The only indication that Vlad gave of his noticing her actions was a smile, before he began recounting his day in excruciating detail.

As the hours passed, Vlad was certain he had never spoken this long in a single conversation in his life. He had run out of things to tell Leila about his day after the first ten minutes and had then switched to commenting on some of the sights around the town he thought she might like to see some day. That kept him going for an hour and then he had run out again.

Usually it was Leila who kept their conversation going, while Vlad sat back and enjoyed the sound of her voice. Now their roles had been suddenly switched with Leila needing to hear his voice, it left Vlad with the task of thinking of things to talk about.

Just as Vlad was about to rise to get a book from the nearby bookshelf to read from, he noticed Leila drifting off to sleep. Instead of grabbing a book, Vlad began to hum under his breath. It was almost funny to watch, Leila's eyelids kept sliding down making her look drugged before rising again as she fought to stay awake.

It wouldn't be long until she fell asleep, to Vlad's relief. He was worried about her lack of sleep, he hadn't gotten much sleep last night but Leila seemed to have gotten even less than he had. If the only way Leila could get to sleep was by listening to his voice then he would choose a book to read to her every night until he could hold her in his arms to soothe her to sleep.

Just as he expected, moments later Leila's eyes slid shut as she slipped into a deep sleep. "Have sweet dreams, my love. Merry Christmas." Before he ended the call he heard her murmur back, "Love you." Smiling to himself, Vlad hung up and rose to begin his routine. He still had many challengers to kill before he could go home, after all.

As he marched out of the hotel a few hours later, Vlad made his decision. If he couldn't comfort his wife properly until he was home, then he would just have to do everything in his power to finish this quickly so he could go back to her side, where he belonged.

As he slammed the doors open to the meeting place, the faces of his challengers swung around to look at him with the same bleak looks of despair as they had worn the day before. "Change of plans, I will be fighting half of you today and the other half tomorrow. Should you choose to yield, then I will spare your life." Vlad almost snorted at the hope dawning on some of their faces. Really, he said he wouldn't kill them, but he never said he wouldn't torture them. His wife would have known instantly what his plan was, after all he never let shows of disobedience in his line go unpunished.

The reminder of his wife waiting for him at home, spurred him on. Turning to enter the room where his opponent already waited, he felt Leila's gift to him press against his side. Hesitating for a moment, he removed his coat and handed it to Maximus for safekeeping before facing his enemy. "Now then, I believe you and I have business to attend to."

_  
Okay! As I said at the top, after this there is definitely one more chapter and then a possibility for another.  
However, it is completely up to you guys if you want me to post it or not. I already have it written either way.  
Do you want to read the steamy part where they reunite and use Vlad's gift or just leave it hanging?  
Since we all know what is going down it isn't technically necessary to have the smut scene.  
If you guys want it just let me know and I'll post it.


	13. Writing Ideas

Hey Guys! I came across this and wanted to give it a go. If you want me to write any of the ideas listed below,  
feel free to message or review telling me which one you want.

01 - Holding hands

When out and about Mencheres always hooks Kira's arm with his own or links their hands. Kira loves it.

02 - Cuddling somewhere

Cat requests to see Vlad, when they get there Leila is exhausted and slumps against Vlad. He enjoys it, the calm is a nice change from how their relationship had gone to that point, but Annette comes in and tries to degrade Leila. Vlad is having none of it.

03 - Gaming/watching a movie  
Denise introduces Spade to arcade games.

04 - On a date

Cat asks Leila what her and Vlad's first date was like. Leila hesitates, not sure what counts as a date. She asks Vlad, who shrugs and says unless they counted tracking down his enemies they hadn't gone out anywhere, too busy fighting either his enemies or each other. Cat is shocked, Bones pokes more fun at Vlad and Leila doesn't mind. She enjoys spending time with Vlad without interruption, but Vlad rises to Bones's baiting and so they go on a formal date.

05 – Kissing

Cat never knew that so much emotion could be put into a kiss before she married Bones. She can feel everything he does whenever they kiss and it never ceases to amaze her.

06 - Wearing each others' clothes

The males all enjoy seeing their women in their clothes.

07 – Cosplaying (Halloween)

Mencheres and Leila go to a party or host one and Mencheres dons his old pharaoh garb. Kira is curious what that will make her, Mencheres orders an authentic Egyptian costume for her and when he sees it on her his brain short circuits. Bones and Vlad are there when he first sees it and are amused at his reaction.

Bones is no longer amused when Cat comes out in a sexy dress from the late 1700s. His jaw is now on the ground with Mencheres.

Leila and Vlad had collaborated on their costumes so Vlad isn't surprised when Leila comes in with makeup that looks like dragon scales covering her. He has the same make up, he is however shocked by the tight leather costume.

08 – Shopping

Kira and Leila go shopping with their men. Hilarity ensues.

09 - Hanging out with friends

Spade and Denise hang out with Cat and Bones.

10 - With animal ears (animal parts not just ears)

Cat is a kitten, Bones is a fox.

Spade is an antelope, Denise lost her attributes when she was branded.

Leila was a songbird but her wings we destroyed when she touched the powerline, Vlad has wings that make him look like a dragon, but has refused to show anyone since his imprisonment.

Mencheres is the cat his people worshiped, Kira has eagle wings but feathers are missing thanks to Pete ripping them out.

11 - Wearing kigurumis Kigurumi

You couldn't make Vlad wear this, but Leila might buy a dragon one just to make Vlad roll his eyes.

12 - Making out

Bones shows Cat that there are perks to not needing to breath anymore.

13 - Eating ice cream

Leila has a special way of eating ice cream and Vlad highly approves.

14 – Gender swapped (Body Swapped)

A spell goes weird and everyone gets body swapped.

Cat and Bones are out hunting down the caster while learning to fight in each others bodies.

Mencheres cant use his ability in Kira's body, and Kira has his abilities much to her terror since she has no control of them.

Vlad and Leila are both irritated. Leila is still human, which means Vlad feels all the human bodily functions again including her period. He also gets to feel what its like to be pulled into essences and the lingering effects it can have. Leila has his ability to read minds, so she can read his mind while he is in her body and she keeps accidentally setting fire to things.

Spade and Denise went with Cat and Bones, although Spade is surprised at the force of Denise's hunger while Denise has problems biting people to feed in Spade's body.

15 - In a different clothing style

Kira and Leila get their men into jeans and casual wear. The men are surprised by the strong reactions both girls have on the sight of them in tight jeans and button ups.

16 - During their morning ritual(s)

Bones has to wrestle the blankets away from Cat before they both get ready and head out to hunt vampires.

Spade wakes up earlier than Denise, kisses her awake before heading out.

Vlad always wakes up before Leila, although he hates mornings, and sometimes he leaves messages on the mirror for Leila to find when she takes her steamy shower.

Mencheres and Kira wake up early but stay in bed cuddling until they feel like moving.

17 – Spooning

Mencheres wakes up sometimes to Kira wrapped around him from behind, or with his head against her chest as she sleeps. He likes those positions a lot.

Vlad always sleeps wrapped around Leila. It is rare when he allows the position to be reversed, but after Leila requests it one day he tries it and doesn't all together hate it.

18 - Doing something together

Spade cooks with Denise.

19 - In formal wear

Mencheres likes Kira in full evening gowns, Leila is just happy to be out of her heels to Vlad's amusement.

20 – Dancing

By the end of the night Leila's ankles hurt, but there were more dances that Vlad was suppose to take part in thanks to him holding the party. He pulls her up onto his feet, holding her weight off her shoes. She is concerned that she'll hurt him thanks to the heels, but he brushes her worries off.

21 - Cooking/baking

Mencheres finds Kira baking a cake for Tina and joins in.

22 - In battle, side-by-side

Bones and Cat are known as the deadliest pair of bounty hunters for a reason.

Spade does his best to keep Denise out of the fights and she is more than okay with that.

Vlad and Leila train together and when an enemy ambushes them while they're out Vlad's enemies learn that Leila is just as deadly as Vlad. Vlad learns seeing his wife in battle is a turn on when she isn't in any real danger.

Mencheres would kill anything that blinked at Kira the wrong way, leading people to think she was weak. His enemy confronts them one day, bringing up his varied history with sexual partners. He expects disgust but Kira doesn't care and proceeds to curb stomp the person for upsetting Mencheres.

23 – Arguing

Vlad and Leila seem to be constantly arguing lately and it is wearing on Leila. After their most recent one, she is in tears and wants space from Vlad. Kira offers to house her until she has had time to get her emotions under control. Vlad is surprised when she tells him that she is going to stay with Kira and Mencheres for a few nights. He lists off reasons why he forbids it, it not being safe being the primary one, she counters with no one would dare attack Mencheres. She ignores his order of forbidding her, tells him that he couldn't forbid her from doing anything, least of all going to a friend's house when they were arguing. Kira and Leila hang out and become closer, when its time to leave Kira offers to come and get her whenever she needed a break from Vlad.

24 - Making up afterwards

Vlad picks Leila up and the flight back is mostly silent until he admits that he shouldn't have tried to forbid her and from then on whenever she needs a break they could plan it for her to go visit Kira. Leila agrees and they talk out whatever their previous fight was about. They are cuddling for the rest of the flight home.

25 - Gazing into each others' eyes

Denise is fascinated by Spade's eyes and tells him so on many occasions.

26 - Getting married

Tina is getting married and invites both Kira and Mencheres. Kira helps with all the wedding stuff and Mencheres wonders if she would want to get married, surprised when he doesn't dread the thought like he thought he would. He asks before the ceremony for her opinion and Kira says she wouldn't mind being married to him in the slightest but only wanted to when he was completely sure that was what he wanted. She would take no offense if he never wanted to after the misery his last marriage caused him. As Kira walks Tina down the isle Mencheres sees her in the dress and is hit with the thought of her walking to him, he decides then and there that he will be marrying Kira and he would have to plan out a way of proposing. Kira catches the bouquet much to Tina's joy. Kira sheepishly shrugs at Mencheres, who is already set in his decision. The males are gathered for the garter toss and Mencheres catches it to everyone's confusion since it hadn't gone anywhere near him, while looking at Kira with a smile.

27 - On one of their birthdays

Spade makes Denise breakfast in bed for her birthday, knowing it means more if he made it himself he has his cook teach him.

28 - Doing something ridiculous

Cat and Bones have a water fight in the kitchen

29 - Doing something sweet

Kira gets a call from Tina who is in tears. Mencheres and Gorgon are on high alert and ready to run over. They find out Tina is pregnant and her husband demanded her to get rid of the kid, telling her that he only married her because he thought she couldn't have kids. Gorgon is ready to kill, but does his best to comfort Tina, who he has had feelings for since he met her but refused to say anything since she was already dating. Mencheres offers to take Tina and her kids in until she was on her feet to Tina's relief, Gorgon's joy and Kira's gratefulness.

30 - Doing something hot

Vlad finishes an exhausting work day to find Leila waiting for him, she had previously visited him in the day. Vlad had taken his tie off, wanting his shirt open as frustration made everything irritate him. He asked Leila to leave so he wouldn't take it out on her. She does and later he finds Leila naked except for his tie.

If you have any other ideas or would like to read a different couple for a prompt let me know.


	14. Leila and Vlad's First Christmas FINAL

**Finally! When I started this idea I never expected it to get to be this long I swear!  
Anyway as I mentioned in the previous chapter, if you guys want the smut oneshot let me know.  
Anyway, read and review with thoughts and opinions! Sorry for the hold up, I tried to post this while sleep deprived and forgot when it didn't go through.**

Leila woke up in the early afternoon, the phone still set up against the pillow next to her. Sitting up, she stretched out the kinks in her muscles from sleeping at the weird angle she had. She was surprised that she had fallen asleep, after last night's dismal attempts she had figured that sleep would be impossible until Vlad returned. Maybe she would call him again later when she went to bed for the night. The thought made her grimace, her husband was off fighting dozens of challengers, he didn't have time to soothe her to sleep every night. He needed the rest more than she did, he shouldn't be staying up to talk to her like he did.

Leila moved to the dresser to choose an outfit, her decision made. She would go and apologize to Kira and Mencheres for her earlier episode and she would do her best to enjoy the holiday with them. Later when Vlad called again she would reassure him that she was fine and there was no need for him to worry about her.

The sight of the trunk froze her in her tracks, in all the excitement she had forgotten about it. Forcibly pulling her attention to what she was going to wear, she glanced over her half of the closet. Nothing really sounded good to wear today, to her irritation. Just as she was about to grab something at random she saw one of Vlad's favorite sweaters. A deep wine red made from the softest material she had ever felt and it looked absolutely stunning on Vlad. Knowing that he wouldn't mind, Leila tugged off the stiff collared business shirt she had been wearing and replaced it with soft sweater.

It smelled like detergent, as she knew it would, but it was still soft and that was enough for her. Dropping the dirty shirt in the laundry she made her way out to meet Kira, but not before shooting off a text to Vlad. 'Thank you for helping me sleep. Stay safe, I love you and Merry Christmas.'

Kira sat on the couch in the entryway, the fireplace emitting a pleasant warmth. Leila smiled at her, this time not having to force it. She remembered how frantic Kira had been during her earlier episode, despite Vlad's less than kind attitude. It was nice to know that she had people who cared about her besides her husband.

Kira jumped up and flashed in front of Leila, worry still showing in her eyes. "Are you okay now?"

From anyone else Leila would take that as a mocking question, but she knew that Kira was honest in her worry. "Yeah, I'm sorry you had to see that. I'm fine now and I promise to keep it together this time."

Kira scowled at her, before pulling her into a hug unexpectedly. "Don't say it like that. It's not like you asked for that to happen and if you feel like you need to let it all out then go ahead. I'm the last to judge about needing to scream into a pillow just so you don't break down."

The hug was warm, not in the physical body temperature way since they were both vampires and therefore room temperature, but in a way that reminded Leila of when her and Gretchen use to get along. If given the time, Leila knew that she would grow to see Kira as a sister, possibly even an older one.

As Kira pulled back to glance over her face, looking for any lingering negativity, she nodded in approval when she found none. "Now then, do you want to come watch Christmas movies with Mencheres and I or do you want some time to yourself?"

Leila didn't have to consider it for long, it was better to distract herself with good company than to sit and be miserable alone. "I would love to watch movies with you guys, which ones are we watching?"

Kira linked their arms, listing off quite a few well known movies and a few lesser known ones as well. As Leila was pulled into the room where Mencheres already had the TV set and ready, she knew that while this Christmas wasn't what she had planned it would still be good in it's own way.

When Leila laid down that night she was in a considerably better mood than when she had first woken up. She hadn't received a call yet from Vlad, which worried her, but otherwise the day had gone as well as it could. After the movie marathon, Kira had dragged Leila outside for a walk in the snow which turned into a snowball fight. At first Menecheres elected to stay out of it for the sake of fairness, but Kira convinced him quickly to join in without his telekinesis.

Leila was amused as she watched the four centuries old vampire pick up his lover and throw them both into the nearest snowbank. Kira got her revenge shortly after by acting as if she were surrendering and coming for a kiss only to push snow down the back of Mencheres shirt. This started the war anew, to Leila's astonishment.

It had taken them all the better part of an hour to fully finish the snowball fight before they had headed back inside to warm up. This was one of the times Leila wished that she could still taste human food, because nothing sounded better at the moment than a steaming cup of hot cocoa.

Once warm again they had said their goodnights before retiring. Leila sat on her and Vlad's bed and stared down at the phone in worry. Usually he would've texted by now to let her know that he was finished with his fights, but no word had been heard from him since she had fallen asleep.

Logically, Leila knew that he was probably just busy, he did say there were a lot of challengers and he had spent a good portion of the morning talking to her instead of going about his schedule, but the bitchy little voice in her head was having a field day with the radio silence.

_He can't answer you because he is dead. _Leila bit her lip until it bled, trying to block out the insidious voice. He is a strong master vampire, he is fine. Just because he didn't call when he did before doesn't mean that he is hurt, it just means that the challenges went on longer than before. Pull yourself together.

Just as she was about to give in and link to him, just long enough to check in and see how he was doing, the phone rang in her hand almost making her drop it in surprise. Vlad's name flashing across the screen had her releasing a sigh, snapping at her inner voice gleefully. _Ha, take that!_

Wasting no time in answering, Leila tried her best to not sound as relieved as she felt. The last thing Vlad needed was more reason to worry about her. "Good timing, I was just lying down for the night."

Either she had succeeded in keeping her relief out of her voice, or Vlad knew not to ask because he returned her earlier Christmas wishes without further comment.

"I was hoping to catch you before you tried to sleep. I had more challengers than was previously planned for, but I am completely unharmed. How was your day?"

Leila took care to detail out all the fun things she had done today, especially Kira and Mencheres antics in the snow. "I thought for a little while I was going to have to give them some privacy, because they completely forgot that I was there."

Vlad's chuckle brushed across her senses like a caress. Even thousands of miles away he had the ability to make her shiver. Glancing at the clock, Leila winced. She had been determined to not take up hours of Vlad's time this morning but they had already been talking for the better part of two hours with no signs of stopping.

Doing her best to sound natural, she tried to end the call so he could rest. "Well I am exhausted and you need your sleep for the fights tomorrow so I guess we should stop before I keep you up all night again."

There was a silence, Leila checked the phone to be sure that he hadn't already disconnected, but no he was still on the line with her. Her question of if he was there was cut off when he spoke.

"You didn't keep me up anymore than I would have been otherwise, just as you don't sleep when we are separated neither do I. I much prefer being awake and talking to you, or simply watching you through a video feed than staring at the ceiling while I attempt to sleep."

Here he paused to let his statement sink in before continuing. "Leila, stop trying to spare me minor inconveniences at the price of your discomfort. Instead, why not simply enjoy each others presence until we each fall asleep."

Leila bit her lip, she should have known better than to think he wouldn't have noticed. Still, if he wasn't getting any sleep anyway then it wasn't really hurting anything to keep him awake while they talk. Her former determination crumbling, Leila gave in. "Alright, but don't feel like you have to stay awake to keep talking to me. I feel much better now and just seeing you over a video would be more than enough to relax me. You need your sleep more than I do right now, you're the one fighting not me."

Vlad sighed from across the phone, "If it makes you feel better then, I promise to not purposefully keep myself awake. However, you must promise the same."

Leila laughed under her breath, typical Vlad. A vow with conditions, but she couldn't complain since it was what she was asking him to do for her. After she agreed they sat in silence, enjoying the others company even if it was only over the phone.

"Would it be okay if I start the video chat again? I like being able to see you." Vlad gave his permission, tone suggesting that he thought her ridiculous for even thinking to ask.

The screen flashed briefly before Vlad's features came through. The familiar widows peak framed with dark locks made her smile. He looked as tired as she felt, giving credibility to his previous statement about his amount of sleep.

They both took the other in, looking over every detail as if they would never get to see them again. Adjusting the phone to sit up against the pillow, she grabbed his pillow again before burrowing into the sheets. Vlad's mouth pulled up at the sight, "I see you chose a more comfortable shirt to wear as sleep ware this time."

The teasing had a heavy undertone to it that Leila wanted to avoid, so she put some extra pep in her voice when she responded. "The scent was gone from your other shirt, besides this one is more comfortable and I learned yesterday that your pillow still smells like you." Here she tugged on the pillow she had clutched to her chest. Vlad's eyes flashed green at the quick glimpse of her cleavage that she had accidentally shown him when she moved.

He always enjoyed seeing her in his clothes, but it was even more satisfying to know that while he was gone she preferred wearing clothes that smelled of him. Even while not by his side, she enjoyed making sure anyone who came near her knew who she belonged to. It stroked something deep inside of him, her choosing to cover herself in his scent while he was away. His bright green gaze locked on hers, the reason behind it quickly dawning on Leila.

With a little chuckle, she readjusted the shirt. "Sorry, I swear I'm not trying to turn this into one of those calls. I'm just not used to how your shirts hang on me."

"No need to apologize, I certainly am not complaining. If you keep looking as tempting as you do in my clothes, I might just make an exception about refusing to participate in those calls."

Shock rolled over Leila, he had not just said he was considering having phone sex. She must have heard wrong. Her thunder struck expression made him laugh deeply.

"I was being serious, but I find that I prefer the thought of waiting until I can tell you such things in person. It is more intimate that way and only getting to imagine you is a pitiful consolation prize for making love to you. Better to wait until I am home and I can strip you of my shirt myself while reaquainting myself with every inch of your flesh."

His words sent a jolt of heat straight down to her core. He needed to stop talking like that or she would have to take a cold shower. "I can't wait." Her eyes were undoubtedly bright green as she remembered the look of rapture on his face when she had seen him off. Vlad's own gaze locked with hers, his smile announcing that he was thinking of the same moment.

"And I will be rediscovering every inch, have no doubt about that Leila. Before that though, I have something to repay. While it was enjoyable to have you on your knees, I can't wait to have you on your back. I will take my time making you come, maybe I'll even see how many times I can make you come in succession before joining you."

Leila felt as the familiar warmth pooled in between legs, her frustration rising to match her lust knowing that she had no way of release. Her own fingers were nothing compared to Vlad, she wouldn't bother trying. She had grown used to the feeling of being completely full with him and nothing else would do.

Not that she was going to tell him that, he didn't need the ego boost. "Sounds like a great idea to me, but now we need to switch the topic before I really get worked up. It's not fair of you to wind me up while you're not here to take care of it."

Vlad's eyes still burned green, but he acquiesced, "You are right, but remember Leila, once I am home you and I will not be leaving that room for at least four days and during that time I will be more than able to take care of it. As many times as the need arises."

As the lust burned deeper, Leila knew what Vlad was hinting at. Briefly, she wondered if he would manage to kill her before those four days were over. As she changed the subject, a single thought rang through her head, _But what a way to go._

The next five days pass in agonizing slowness for both Leila and Vlad. The only upside being that Leila had been correct in her assumption that once the holiday had passed, the worst of her melancholy had as well.

As the sixth day of his outing came to a close Vlad looked out at those that remained from the original fifty. Forty-five were dead and the remaining five he had decided to bring back with him to torture at his leisure. He still didn't know who had been the orchestrator behind the entire plot, but he had it on good authority that it was one of those five. After he resurfaced from his time with Leila, he could spend months drawing their pain out.

It would take him longer to pull the answers out of them, he had spent the last five days pulling information from the challengers who submitted. None of them knew who exactly began the idea, only that it was one of the five standing in front of him. It was no matter to him, he could torture them at home just as easily, if not easier, than he oculd here. The only reason he hadn't done so before was those pesky challenges. Were it not for those, he would have simply dragged all fifty of the delinquents back to his castle on the first day.

Unfortunately, rules regarding the challenges were in place that he had to follow. However, he had trudged through all of them and was now free to return home to his waiting wife. She was under the impression it would be at least a few more days before his return, he would enjoy surprising her with his early arrival.

The past five days had not been easy on either of their parts, but he found that the addition of the video chat to their nightly routine had helped them both greatly. It was still not ideal, but they both got a few hours of sleep, which is better an their previous none. Pulling himself back to the present, Vlad reminded himself that he was going home and he would no longer need a phone to see his wife. In just one more day he would be holding her in his arms again.

If he left immediately and pushed the plane to fly at its fastest he might even make it home in time to kiss his wife for the New Year. Determination bloomed in him, turning to his prisoners he smiled, making all of them flinch. "Now that I have finished with your worthless challenges, it is time that we go home."

Leila watched in confusion and wariness as the plane prepared to land. Vlad wasn't due home until the day after tomorrow at the earliest and he hadn't warned her of any visitors. Turning to face an equally confused Mencheres and Kira, Leila nodded toward the window. "Shall we go greet the unknown guests?"

All three of them stood outside, waiting for the passengers to exit the plane. The first five people were those Leila didn't recognise, she subtly slid her glove off just in case it would be needed.

To her surprise, a familiar dark haired figure came out behind them. Impatience brushed against her subconscious, solidifying her suspicions. A grin broke her mouth as she bolted past the five shocked vampires, who she could now see had Vlad's guards watching them carefully. Vlad had a matching grin as he watched her shoot toward him, her excitement warming him.

Stretching his arms out, he braced himself for the impact and rocked backwards when Leila slammed into his arms without slowing down in the slightest. His five prisoners gawked at his open display of affection, but he couldn't be bothered to spare the attention to snap at them to look elsewhere. Maximus, who had been the last to come off the plane, did the honor for him.

His hand lashed out in a blur, clapping all five of them over the head in a single instant and sending them falling face first into the cement below them. Leila bit back a laugh at the comical sight from where she was pressed tightly against Vlad's chest. She had only seen that in cartoons, but it was highly amusing to see in real life. Maximus shot her a friendly smile, before barking out an order to have the prisoners brought to the dungeon until the _voivode_ had time to deal with them.

Leila was briefly dismayed before she forcibly stomped it down. It made sense, he had five new prisoners who had tried to take advantage of his caring for her which meant that he needed to make an example out of them. He was home safely and they could celebrate after he finished with his 'due diligence'.

Vlad's smile fell into a confused frown, "Why are you dismayed?" Leila bit back a curse, while he couldn't hear her thoughts anymore he could still smell her emotions.

Deciding to get it over with, Leila ripped the bandaid off. "I know you have to go and deal with them, which is going to take at least a few days, but it doesn't matter. You're home safe and we can celebrate later."

Understanding flashed through Vlad, the smile returning to his lips to Leila's confusion. Before she could ask, Vlad had picked her up in a bridal carry and was flying toward their room. "You misunderstand. I promised you four days and that is what I will deliver, although the full week is sounding more and more appealing by the minute. Those fools have cost us enough time as it is, they can wait while I properly greet my wife and begin the New Years with a kiss."

He laid Leila down on their bed, noting his pillow still on her side of the bed. "Besides, there isn't a single thing on this planet that would stop me from finally touching you as I've been unable to do so for the past week."

Relief mixed with an overwhelming love as Leila looked up at Vlad. Wrapping her arms around him and pulling their bodies together, Leila took a moment to just enjoy having him in her arms again. Vlad's own tightened around her, picking up on the shift in mood and happily following her example.

After a few minutes of comfortable silence, Vlad dug his hands into her hair before claiming her mouth in a scorching kiss. As his mouth danced downward toward the pulsating heat in her loins, Leila remembered his promise and briefly thought about the present that was sitting off to the side on the nightstand. She had the forethought that they wouldnt stop to pick it up, so she had brought it up here. Now she was glad she did, wiggling a hand loose she drew Vlad's attention to the gift.

He looked at it for a moment before looking back at Leila. "Not right now, you can have your way with me, but not yet. I have been aching for you for the past week with an intensity I have never known. I am going to drive you to the brink of insanity with pleasure before joining you. After that, you can have me all to yourself, however you would like me. But for now, you are mine."

As his lips slid where she wanted them most and he pulled her legs up to lock behind his head, Leila couldn't bring herself to care about the slight change in plans. They had four days after all, and if that wasn't enough she could always convince Vlad to increase it to seven...

**And we are done! Woo! That took me a decent chunk of time to finish. Let me know if you want the smut where Vlad gets tied up and their reunion.**


	15. Rub Down

Hello Everybody! I realized that I've been writing a bunch of Vlad and Leila so I decided to switch over to Mencheres and Kira again. If you have any ideas you'd like to see written, feel free to send them my way.

Mencheres let out a weary sigh as he walked away from the grisly scene behind him. A few hours ago he had received an urgent call from a friend whom he had known for many centuries. By the time he got there, his friend had already been killed and in a truly grotesque way. The sight burned at the back of his eyelids every time he closed them. Wariness like he hadn't felt in months settled on his shoulders as he sat into the plane's seat.

Kira had offered to go with him when he got the call, apparently feeling that he would need her presence, but he had asked her to remain at home. Now, after the sight he had been met with, he was glad he did so. While it would have been nice to have her here to soothe his aching emotions, he wanted to keep her safe from such sights as much as possible.

Leaning back in the seat, he glanced at the phone. He knew he should call Kira to alert her of his being on the way home, but he wasn't sure what he would say. That one of his oldest remaining line members had been brutally killed? That he had found him with his fangs ripped out for trophies and the message obviously meant for Mencheres carved into his flesh?

Even if he did know what to say, he didn't want to discuss it over the phone. Such sensitive topics should be spoken of in person, not from miles away. Choosing a middle ground, he sent her a text update of the situation. His phone buzzed with the reply before he could finish placing it on the table. His lips twitched in a parody of a smile, his emotional exhaustion not allowing anything more expressive. After reading her acknowledgement, he set the phone to the side.

Not for the first time he felt gratitude well up inside of him that he had Kira. In the past, this situation had happened multiple times and every time it hurt the same. The loss of many of his loved ones had been a driving force behind his previous suicide attempt. Returning home to a cold ex-wife or the staff after such an event left a hollow feeling in his chest cavity that only seemed to grow as time marched on.

For centuries he had ached for someone to hold him close during difficult times such as this, someone to offer comfort and love to soothe his pain while reminding him that he was not alone in his fight.

But this time he didn't have to face that hollow loneliness alone, he reminded himself. Kira waited for him at their home, he knew without a doubt that all he had to do was ask for her comfort and she would provide it in full. The knowledge was an immense relief to his soul, knowing that he had someone who loved him for who he was waiting for him to soothe the pain. He found himself impatient for the next few hours to pass, the time seeming to stretch into forever as he waited to be reunited with his beloved. His Dark Lady.

Kira paced the room, doing one final check of everything as she waited for her husband to send her a text alerting her to his leaving the airport. She had offered to meet him there, but he had asked her to remain home, not wanting her to waste the effort when he would be home mere minutes after the plane landed. She had still been tempted to do so, but had decided against it in favor of getting the finishing touches done on her surprise.

When her husband had gotten the call early this morning, she had known it wasn't going to be good. Her instincts had demanded she go with him for whatever he was going to face, but he had turned his soulful deep charcoal eyes on her and she couldn't refuse his request for her to stay at the house.

After he left, her instincts continued to scream that he was going to need her which led her to her current plan. She couldn't comfort him until he was home, but that gave her the time to set up a surprise for him. While she didn't know what exactly was wrong, she had learned not to underestimate her feelings. If she happened to be wrong and everything was okay, then the surprise could be just another welcome home. If she was right, then her husband was going to need all the support and love she could give him.

In the months they had been together, she knew that he loved long soaks in the tub, especially if she joined him for them. She had everything ready for the bath, all that was needed was to draw the water and her husband himself. After she had prepared that, she expanded on her plan. Now there were unscented massage oils sitting on the nightstand, ready for when she needed them and blood bags beside them. He had been right when he told her the bags didn't taste as good as straight from the vein, but depending on his mood he might not want the thoughts and feelings of another person. If he chose a donor instead, she would drink them so they wouldn't go to waste. Problem solved.

Between the hot bath and the massage, she hoped he would be more relaxed. If those didn't work she would ask him what he wanted, asking was always the easiest way to learn things after all.

Kira perked up when she felt her husband approaching, darting outside to meet him. She heard Gorgon chuckle as she flew past him, but she disregarded it. He couldn't feel what she could, the instinct that she was needed, so she didn't expect him to understand her enthusiasm to be back at her husband's side. She watched as his form separated from the sky behind him, landing less than three yards away from her. His stride barely broke as he touched the ground and immediately enveloped her in his arms.

His shields were still up, another neon red flag, even after he pulled back from their hug. His limbs hesitating to release her, his fingers remaining connected to hers almost hesitantly. Seeing his reluctance to part, she laced their fingers together, pulling a tired smile from him for efforts. After exchanging the customary greetings, she began leading him to their bedroom.

"You look exhausted, I have something that can help with that." Mencheres grimaced momentarily, confusing Kira until he spoke. "Under other circumstances I would leap on the chance to be bedded by you, but I am...not in the proper mood to enjoy such activities. I will tell you more, if you wish to know, later. I would relish the opportunity to simply lie in bed with you for the time being."

Kira winced when she realises what her words sounded like, rushing to correct his assumption. "I honestly didn't mean that how it sounded. I could tell that you weren't in the mood since you texted instead of calling earlier. You don't have to tell me anything unless you want to talk about it. I have everything ready for a nice soak in the tub. After that, if you want, I also have plans for a massage. Obviously, if you don't want to that's completely fine as well."

Mencheres tugged Kira to a stop outside their room, her startled noise muffled by his chest when he clasped her to him. Breathing in her scent, he took a moment to relish in the gift he had been given. His Dark Lady had known what he needed and had gone above and beyond what he had been hoping for upon his return. Rendered speechless by her love, he did the only thing he could think to do to show how much he appreciated her actions.

Kira almost staggered when the full force of his emotions opened to her. The grief was overwhelming, as was his wariness, but what brought tears to her eyes was his relief to not be dealing with this alone. She thought back on the centuries he must have spent mourning his friends as they passed, without anyone to offer the comfort he desperately needed. Forcing her emotions down, she tilted her head back to stare into his eyes.

Seeing his jet colored eyes glittering back at her, she tugged him down by the collar of his shirt. "Come down here." Remembering when she had done something similar after they had met Bones and Cat at Disneyland, he bent. Instead of receiving the kiss he had been expecting, Kira pulled him down until his head rested in the hollow of her throat and began to stroke her hand through his hair. Her fingers massaged at his scalp while her other hand stroked up and down his back.

He froze momentarily as he took in his new position before melting into her hold. Eyes sliding shut as he relaxed against her. The rhythmic stroking lulling him into an almost sleep, the only thing keeping him on his feet being her arms wrapped securely around him. They stayed in their position for a few more minutes, before he pulled back. Clearing his suddenly tight throat, he spoke. "If we don't begin your plans now I will simply scoop you up and take you to bed. The plan is wonderful, thank you my beloved. Perhaps later I could return the favor by ravishing you."

Kira's smile dropped at his insinuation, he had already said he wasn't in the mood for such things. If he went through with his words he would be forcing himself for her sake, which she wanted none of.

Deciding to shut that down quick, Kira made a negative noise in the back of her throat. "No, you aren't feeling well which means neither am I. That can wait until tomorrow, or the next day, or next week, or whenever you next feel like it and not a moment sooner. For now, let's focus on making you feel better okay?"

He briefly stiffened, believing her to be rejecting his advances, only to sink further into her when he realized her reason for refusing. She loved him too much to accept pleasure while he was hurting. Before he could speak, she pulled him down into a languid kiss.

When she deemed him thoroughly kissed, she pulled back to begin tugging him toward their bedroom. Once past the doorway, he noticed the blood bags and stops her motions toward the bathroom. Seeing where his eyes were focused, she explains their presence. "I wasn't sure if you would feel like interacting with a donor, so I had blood bags brought up. If you don't want them I'll drink them."

Astonishment swept through him as he stared down at his wife. She had truly thought of everything, he hadn't noticed until now but he didn't want to call for a donor even though he was decidedly thirsty. Seeing his thirst in his eyes, Kira grabbed the bags before offering him them. Dropping a kiss to her head, he grabbed one while gently pressing the other closer to herself. "Thank you for your foresight. I will drink one, but only if you also feed. You can't disregard your own health to look after mine."

Kira easily agreed, draining the bag without further argument. Once he finished his, she began pulling him toward the bathroom. The only time she spoke was to ask what temperature bath water he wanted. When the water is ready, she turns to him. Taking his cue he reaches to strip his clothes only for her hand to stop him.

Confusion is replaced by love as she bats his hands away to strip him herself. One piece at a time, slowly while trailing her fingers and mouth across his skin, she strips him bare. He can tell these kisses aren't to rile him up, but to calm him down. His love for her pushes all the air from his lungs as if he had been punched, the emotions traveling across their bond making her smile up at him.

After she slides the last piece of clothing off, he felt more vulnerable than he had in at least the last millennia. As if she removed every shield he had ever had around his heart with every piece of clothing she removed. The feeling was intoxicating, his mind clouding as he moved forward to begin removing her clothes in turn.

Sliding into the steaming bath, he bit back a sigh as the muscles in his back loosened for the first time since he had left that morning. Reaching a hand out to offer her help, that she didn't truly need, to get in he is momentarily baffled when she shakes her head. Thinking she was going to give him space instead of joining him, he opened his mouth to convince her otherwise only to shut it when she slid in behind him.

His shock increased as her legs wiggled until they were on either side of him before her arms wrapped around his shoulders. The shock is soon replaced by wonder as she pulls him back to lean against her. Her head rests on his shoulder as her hands ladle water over his body.

Feeling his hesitance to completely relax back into her, she speaks while lathering his hair with soap. "I can more than handle your weight, big guy. Just relax and let me take care of you for a change." He needs no more convincing, relishing in the feeling of being cared for as she washes every nook and cranny on his body while he lounges back against her chest. He never thought he would enjoy the feeling of her body surrounding his like she was, but as the saying went; you learn new things every day.

Idle curiosity made him ask, "Is this what you feel like when we lie in bed together?" Kira smiles down at him, planting a kiss on his cheek before running her mouth down his shoulder blade. "Safe and cared for? Yup, and I am determined to make you feel every measure of the same. You take care of everyone, including me. I'm going to be the one who takes care of you, whenever you allow it that is."

"If it feels like this every time, I will allow it as often as you wish." His voice came out croaked from emotion. He felt like he was submerged in heated silk, heady and warm. He had never known what it was to be taken care of to this extent, and nothing he could have imagined would have come close.

By the end of the bath he is thoroughly relaxed, almost unwilling to move to the bed. He felt Kira's chest vibrate with chuckles at his languid display, but began to reluctantly move when she began prodding him. After being dried off, he was led to the bed and instructed to lie down.

He obeyed without pause, warning Kira that if she relaxed him anymore he would be asleep in minutes. "Good, you look exhausted." His chest rumbled with chuckles as she swung her weight up onto his chest. Situating herself to hold her weight off of him, not wanting to accidentally arouse him, she gestured for him to give her his arm. Beginning at the tips of his fingers, she slowly made her way down to the shoulder, making sure not to miss a single muscle before repeating it with his other arm.

She had to shift slightly to reach his chest and head, the feeling of his hair sliding in between her fingers a relaxant of its own.

Trailing her hands down, she skirted his groin, choosing to instead jump to his thigh as to not risk starting something neither of them were up to finishing. The corded muscles tensed under her fingers as she carefully pushed and prodded. A groan came from behind her as she worked the tension loose. It took no time before she had his legs completely done, including the soles of his feet. She had taken note of the shuddering moan he let out when she pressed her thumb just right. it would be useful information for the future. So many people underestimate just how many nerve endings were in the feet and how they could feel when pushed with just the right amount of pressure.

Turning back to face him, his eyes are hazy and drooping as he fights off the urge to sleep. Biting her lip to stop herself from cooing at how cute that look was on him, Kira grins. Instead, she gestured for him to roll over which he does almost bonelessly. "You don't need to hold your weight above me my love, I quite enjoy the feel of you pressed against me. It doesn't have to be in a sexual manner, anytime I feel your skin against mine it is a comfort to know you are close and safe."

Kira is choked up, but lowers her weight to rest on his hips before she continues. The oil makes his skin warm and slick, the muscles in his back have the most knots, as she expected. Her hands dug into the muscles, the feel of their contractions under her palms sending a bolt of lust through her which she quickly stamped out.

It took her longer to work his back loose than it did for the rest of his body parts combined, but once done he couldn't keep his eyes open anymore. She could feel that while he wasn't asleep, he wasn't far from it.

Not wanting to make him move, and taking into account his love of touch, she laid flat across his back. Mencheres surprise brushes her emotions only to fade almost immediately into an all encompassing joy. He sleepily murmurs his thanks before they both doze off, Kira in what would be her new favorite spot and Mencheres all too happy with their new position.

His last coherent thought being that tomorrow he would have to ask Kira to repeat this experience much more often, they could switch off being the recipient. After all, his Dark Lady had never felt the kind of massage he could give, with his age and experience he had a few tricks she was sure to love...

And that is it! I thought that Mencheres must have a horrible time with how long he has lives, watching his friends dying. Good thing he has Kira now.


	16. Vlad's Birthday Bash

As Leila put the finishing touches on the decorations, she sat back to admire her work. It wasn't anything like the decorations Vlad usually had for his parties, but that was the point. Paper streamers hung from the ceiling, chains of them interconnecting to form patterns across the room while colorful balloons floated leisurely around the surfaces they were tied to.

Nerves mixed with excitement as she thought on all the work that had gone into planning this, the call to Mencheres to find out Vlad's birthday and the former pharoah's warning. His voice echoed in her mind, "Vlad doesn't celebrate the day of his birth, I wouldn't advise planning anything. He never speaks of his reasons, but he made me swear to treat the day as any other when I found out." She had been quick to reassure him that she wasn't planning anything big, just a small celebration for her and Vlad to enjoy. Mencheres had stroked his chin in thought before nodding, "If it's only you two he might be accepting of it."

After that nerve wracking call she had to get everything prepared without alerting Vlad of her scheming, not easy by any means but the surprise would be worth it. She had planned a simple party with wine to enjoy in front of the fireplace and decorations, just because she thought the look on Vlad's face when he saw them would be funny.

Briefly flashing back, she remembered the surprise and joy on his face when he had played in the snow with her. Vlad's childhood hadn't been stellar even before he had been imprisoned, it wouldn't surprise her if his father had never celebrated his birthday which would then cause him to never do so either. She knew that her last twelve years worth of birthdays hadn't been anything to brag about, sitting around an empty table while her father and sister were out doing their own things definitely hadn't been fun in the slightest, but she hoped to give Vlad something that neither of them had.

She gave one last look around before nodding her acceptance. With the sitting room decorated she was free to move on to their room, where she had his birthday gift ready. She had learned early on that getting presents for a rich person was a challenge since he could buy anything he wanted. The only way to ensure that she gave him something he enjoyed was for it to have sentimentality attached to it, which was how Leila wound up where she was now.

The room wasn't decorated like the previous one, instead Leila had chosen a more sensual approach to her planning. Flower petals were splayed at random around and on the bed, the smell of Vlad's favorite flower drifted through the air from where it sat next to the window, and a multitude of candles sat scattered around the room just waiting to be lit. The classically romantic scene made Leila's nerves jump, her husband wasn't generally the type to want something such as this, but he had told her before that if she wanted to surprise him she was welcome to…

Picking up one of the flower petals, she bit her lip as she considered throwing them out. The candles were more than romantic enough and there was no chance of Vlad reacting scornfully to them, it would be better to stick to what she knew in this case.

Her plans had already almost been derailed once, with Vlad warning her not to do anything for today after she had wished him a happy birthday that morning. She had thought it would be nice to start the day off with a very special wake up call and Vlad had been more than appreciative...until she told him that there was no better way to wake up on one's birthday. His languide smile had disappeared to be replaced with a scowl, immediately setting Leila's nerves on edge.

"I won't bother asking how you know since there's only one person who could have told you. Since you spoke to Mencheres about this, I presume he told you of my desire to not celebrate this day correct?"

Leila still felt a slight shiver when she remembered his tone, it had been almost icy with no trace of the warmth that had been there not three minutes ago. She had to talk quickly to get him to at least consider her plans for a surprise, "Yes he did, but I'm not planning anything big."

His eyes had narrowed at her wording, "Then what are you planning?" She had bitten her lip while considering how much to tell him and what words to use so he wouldn't shut her attempt down before she even had the time to start it.

"Just a small celebration between you and me, no one else. Maybe some wine and more of what we've already done this morning." She threw in a sideways smile at the end, hoping to persuade him with the possibility of mind blowing sex. He considered her words carefully, his eyes boring into her as he did so.

After a moment he nodded, making Leila release a sigh. "That sounds acceptable, as long as you keep to that plan I will cooperate without complaint." Then he had planted a kiss on her head before leaving to start his day.

Back in the present, Leila shook herself out of her doubts. If he didn't like the flowers he would ignore them, Vlad wasn't the type to mock her when she is trying her best, especially since it is something she is doing for him. He knew that she was hesitant to try anything like this, it was unlikely that he would complain about something as small as the flower petals being too cliche.

Besides, she reasoned to herself, even if he did hate that part she had a backup plan just for this reason. The blood bags sat innocently on the nightstand, the only oddity of their appearance being the tie that sat on top of them, folded neatly. In the past she and Vlad had found quite a few things they enjoyed doing in their bed, but Vlad had mentioned that seeing her blindfolded had been a favorite. As for the blood bags, she had thoroughly enjoyed tracing patterns across Vlad's skin with them and she was sure he would like the opportunity to return the favor.

Forcing a calming breath that she no longer needed, Leila made herself walk away from the bed. If she let herself second guess it she would run back and start throwing all of the petals away. No one had ever told her how nerve wrecking it was to try anything new for your partner, the sick fear of rejection wasn't something she was used to in the slightest. The little voice had been warning her nonstop since she started that this was going to end in disaster, but Leila was bound and determined to ignore it. It had never led her right yet, after all.

She broke out of her worrying by the sound of footsteps approaching the sitting room. Excitement and nerves competed within her as she ran back into the brightly decorated room. Smiling to herself, Leila picked up one of the party poppers and got ready to spray Vlad down with it. She was probably pushing it with the poppers, but the opportunity to see her husband covered in glitter was too good to pass up. Besides, there was a shower in their room and that would also work very well for her plans.

Waiting with every muscle tensed, she saw the handle on the door shift and pulled the string just as the door swung open. "Happy Birthday!" The sight of Vlad drenched in glitter would have been funny, the sparkly substance contrasting greatly with his usual dark coloring, except Leila hadn't taken into account the possibility of anyone being with him.

Her wide smile dropped when she noticed that it wasn't only Vlad who walked into the room. Trailing behind him were Cat and Bones, both looking amused at the uncrowned prince of darkness's form covered in glitter. Internally Leila cringed, Vlad might have played along if they were in private without an audience but she knew that he was going to be furious with her now. He and Bones had a rivalry between them for decades and she had just given him the best ammunition he had ever had against her husband.

True to form, Bones wasted no time in commenting on Vlad's new attire. "Glitter looks right fetching on you Tepesh, brings out the murder in your eyes." Cat for her part beamed at Vlad, doing her best to muffle her laughs. "Happy Birthday, Vlad! Don't be mad, your wife went through a lot of trouble to plan this for you."

Her words had the opposite effect from what she had been trying for, Vlad stiffened until he could be confused with a stone statue. Icy fury frothed through his veins as Bones needled him, his shields briefly cracked as he glared coldly at his wife, who hadn't moved once since she had seen that they had company.

The fury sent ice sailing through Leila's veins when it burst over his shields to slam into her conscious, his words further feeling like a punch to the gut as he ignored Cat's warning. "Why am I covered in this juvenile substance." The words were phrased like a question, but his tone said clearly that it was rhetorical. Leila answered when he looked expectantly at her, his eyebrows practically in his hairline while the cold fire burned in his gaze.

"I thought it would be fun?" Leila almost grimaced at how hesitant her words were, but before she could go on Vlad's voice cut her off as sharp as a razor wire.

"You thought it would be...fun. Tell me Leila, do I look like I'm having fun?" Leila sheepishly shook her head, shoulders slightly hunched inward as Vlad continued on. "If I had known this childish display was what you planned earlier, I would have forbidden it then. The glitter aside, why did you think for one second I would enjoy decorations commonly found at a child's birthday party? All that's missing is a banner to make this ridiculous image complete."

Leila froze as he tore into her, emotions rolling under the surface as his cold gaze swept over the decorations she had previously been so excited to hang. She glanced at them too, seeing them in a new light as he turned to address Cat. What had previously been homemade and fun now looked simple and cheap. Her heart twisted in her chest at the dressing down Vlad gave her, her previous worries about his reaction coming back and biting her in the ass. _See, I told you he would think it was stupid, but did you listen? No, you assumed that he would be happy with the effort behind it and willing to ignore the decorations that are as far away from his normal style as you can get. It's your own fault for deluding yourself. _

Vlad stiffly turns to Cat, unknowing of the turmoil broiling in his wife's head. "Thank you for coming all this way for my wife's ill conceived plan for celebrating my birthday, but it wasn't necessary. As I told her earlier,". He threw a dark look over his shoulder at the still frozen Leila. "I have no interest in celebrating today. Is there any other business you need to attend to before I see you out?"

Cat's confused reply is cut off by Leila. "You don't have to send them away. I-" Vlad whirled on her in a heartbeat. "I don't want to hear a word out of you, I told you explicitly that I had no interest in celebrating today. I was willing to humor your earlier suggestion due to it only including the two of us, but no more. I am going to escort Cat and her husband out and take a shower to get this infernal substance off of me, by the time I get back I want this room clean again with none of these foolish decorations." Vlad's tone was glacial as he snapped at Leila, before swiftly turning back around and gesturing for Bones and Cat to follow him.

Cat winced at Leila's stricken face, briefly crumbling with pain and the barest flash of rejection before her mask came up, covering it effortlessly. "Sorry Cat, I didn't think he would throw you out." Cat shook her head, grimacing at Bones in silent communication. Cat hadn't come because she was invited, she had come because Mencheres had told her when Vlad's birthday was and that Leila might be planning something. She hadn't expected her presence to cause such a conflict. Shooting a brief but no less pointed glare at Vlad, Cat wrapped Leila into a hug. "It's fine, I would've come anyway to wish that grump a happy birthday."

Cat refuses Vlad's arm, taking Bones arm pointedly before she spoke. "Since you're so concerned with image you may as well shower now. Bones and I will be in the main hall." Vlad's mouth twisted but he nodded, not looking back at his wife as he walked to the shower in Leila's old room. A distant part of Leila was relieved he hadn't used their shower. She hadn't had a chance to clean up their room yet and she didn't think she could handle anymore of his scathing comments today.

Once the door slammed shut with finality, Cat and Bones throwing worried glances at her before they exited, Leila allowed herself to sit on the couch and collect herself. Her inner voice wasted no time in ripping her a new one. _Well what did you expect? He's a grown man, of course he wasn't going to be happy with a childish birthday party. Hell he didn't even get far enough into the bedroom to see the flowers. Good thing too, if he thought this was over the top he would've puked at how cliché that room is right now. _Usually Leila could debunk the voice, but right now it was making too much sense for her to do so.

She should have known better than to try something like this. Just because she had wanted this as a child didn't mean that Vlad would want it now. If she had thought it through instead of letting her emotions get in the way she would've seen it.

Leila had been wanting to try something like this for months, but her wariness of this very situation had held her back. Vlad had told her before that he wouldn't scorn anything that she did or got for him simply because it wasn't what he was used to. And she had believed him, just goes to show her initial feelings had been correct.

I just wanted to give him something besides sex… _Obviously he doesn't want anything besides that for his birthday. Stop acting like a snivelling child because he doesn't want to do something sappy on __his_ _birthday._

Leila felt the tears build from the sting of the rejection and the rebuff but she brushed them away determinedly. There was no use in crying over it, better to just clean it up like Vlad wanted, give him space, and never do this again in the future.

If his anger was anything to go by he wouldn't want to see her tonight, which meant he would be spending the night in the dungeon. All of her previous enthusiasm turned to ash in her mouth as she began the clean up. She hated sleeping in their bed alone, better to just sleep in the other room, at least then if Vlad felt like sleeping he could have their bed.

Leila was broken out of her thoughts by a member of the staff hesitantly entering the room. "Ma'am, the voivode sent me to clean the room?" Leila felt another pang hit her chest before she pushed it back. "I have it in hand, you can go back to your other duties." The lady shifted on one foot, her heartbeat announcing her as human and nervous. "But he told me…" She briefly looked scared, not sure whose order to follow. Leila took pity on her, "Actually, I could use some help. Could you clean our room while I get rid of all of this?" The girl immediately perked up, dashing off to do her task with relief.

Leila pulled down the streamers and popped the few balloons she had blown up, making quick work of throwing it all in the nearest garbage can, crushing it down to fit. The hours of work it had taken to make all of the decorations and how excited she had been to hang them now feeling like salt in the wound.

The girl entered again with her arms full of candles and petals, a troubled look on her face. "Will that be all, Ma'am?" Leila gave a limp smile in response and a nod. Once alone in the sitting room, Leila looked around one last time for any lingering party effects before nodding in satisfaction. Placing the garbage can full of decorations to the side, she walked into their room to do a cursory check.

All of the petals and candles were gone, putting the room back to its normal grandeur. The only remaining hint as to what had been planned were the blood bags on the nightstand and the tie neatly folded on top. Leila felt a knot form in her throat at the sight of the tie, walking over she lifted it up to inspect it. Again she felt her eyes fill with tears, but this time she let them fall while making sure they didn't drop anywhere but the tie. Vlad would be able to smell them if they touched the floor or the sheets, after all. The last thing Leila wanted was her husband to know she had been crying after the dressing down he had given her. She'd like to keep some dignity after today.

Forcing an unnecessary breath through her lungs to dislodge the lump, Leila left the blood bags where they were and walked over to the adjoining room. She didn't bother to grab a pillow or blanket, it wasn't like she was tired after all. She wasn't in this room because she was sleepy, she came to lick her wounds in private that way she wouldn't start crying in front of Vlad. She doubted that she would sleep at all tonight, but even if she did the lack of a pillow was the least of her concerns. Lying back on the bed, she curled on her side facing away from the door. Bringing the hand that still held the tie up to her mouth, she wrapped it around her knuckles before biting down on it as she let the tears flow.

Vlad stood at the entryway to the castle, after a quick wash down in the nearest shower, seeing Cat and Bones off. His friend's formerly celebratory mood had quickly shifted into an icy demeanor. Cat had flatly refused to look at him after her dismissive glance when they left the sitting room. With his face twisted into a grimace, he wished them the best for their travels. Cat usually wasn't the type to be petulant over something like this, but he didn't have the time to puzzle out her behavior. He still had to talk with Leila about her ignoring his wishes and going behind his back to set this disaster of an evening up.

He wasn't looking forward to that, but he didn't want this to become a habit. When he had been imprisoned his captors had made it a game of sorts to see how much they could make him suffer on his birthday. Every year they had tried to make it even worse than the last, and usually they succeeded. He had no desire to have a reminder every year of the past.

Briefly he remembered Leila's face, how it had been twisted in shock as he reprimanded her. The memory pulled on something in his chest, he hated to discourage her from doing something he knew was out of her comfort zone, but the last thing he wanted was for her to make a tradition out of this.

If it had been any other day of the year, Vlad would have went along with his wife's little party. It certainly wasn't on the same level of the balls he threw, but there was nothing wrong with celebrating with close friends. A brief picture of the streamers and decorations came to mind, they reminded him of something a child would have done which only served to confuse him more. Why would Leila choose that in regards to a party thrown for him? Shaking himself out of his thoughts, he resolved to ask her once they got the mandatory conversation out of the way. As her frozen face flashed in his mind again, he grimaced. With some luck after he explained why he reacted so harshly she would understand. He would have to be sure she knew that it hadn't been the party itself he held issue with, lest she never try this again.

His musings were interrupted when Bones stopped Cat from leaving, turning to address Vlad for the first time since they had left the room. Instead of commenting on Vlad's previous glitter covered state or the dressing down of his wife, as Vlad expected him to, Bones said something that froze the blood in his veins and sent his heart to his shoes with dread.

"Thought you'd want to know before we leave that we weren't invited by your wife and neither did we know about that party. Mencheres told Cat at our last meeting that your wife may have been planning something for your birthday. My wife saw it as an opportunity to swing by and give you her best wishes." With that they turned and left, leaving a dumbstruck Vlad standing in his own doorway.

Dread crawled down his spine as understanding dawned. His wife hadn't invited them for his birthday, she also hadn't broken her earlier promise. The decorations they had walked in on hadn't been for more than just the two of them. Briefly he remembered a set of wine glasses and a bottle on the table, she hadn't been expecting Cat and Bones, just him.

Standing still as a statue, Vlad considered the ramifications that knowledge brought with it. His wife had planned a party for him and only him, he had misunderstood and reacted with vitriol toward the display. His stomach turned as he remembered his words and the venom they had contained when he demanded her to clean up the decorations he had called foolish.

He had been enraged, thinking she had invited not only Cat, but Bones as well to a party he had expressly stated not wanting. He should have known the instant the glitter touched him that she hadn't planned their presence. His wife would never do such a thing with Bones in the vicinity. Instead of stopping to consider the situation he had taken his misunderstanding and turned it on her with venomous words.

The decorations weren't that bad, not high quality at all, but no one had ever bothered making him such trivial things. He could see why Leila had. Homemade things held sentimental value that store bought could never compete with. Considering how many of the decorations there had been, it would have taken her hours to make all of them...

Turning toward their room, he walked with a brisk pace back to where Leila was undoubtedly hurt by his display. If he was lucky she would be angry with him for his refusal to let her explain, but once he told her why he didn't want to celebrate she would understand and her temper would cool. In the worst case scenario however, Leila was hurt by his reaction and mentally berating herself for her well intentioned actions. Even as he hoped for the former, for no other reason than he would prefer she be mad at him than crying, he knew the latter was considerably more likely.

The knife in his chest twisted at the thought of his words bringing tears to Leila's eyes. His stride increasing until he was all but running to their room. He needed to fix his mistake post haste, from experience he knew that the longer he let her stew in her thoughts the worse her confidence would get. And he had already left her to herself for more than long enough for her hated inner voice to do considerable damage. His own words rang back through his mind, all the ways they could be taken and twisted raced through his mind as he moved.

There wasn't a day that went by that he didn't wish he could cure his wife of that pesky voice in her head that planted poisonous thoughts in her mind when she was weak. In situations like this, where he knew one of his actions was the opening that voice needed to start in on her, he wanted nothing more than to rip that voice out and set it aflame, even if he knew the thought was futile.

No, he couldn't do anything about the mental trauma his wife had gone through or the repercussions of it, but he could do his best to not give that voice ammunition to harm her with. As he sped past staff members, they glanced at him worriedly but he didn't spare them a glance. He had a wife to comfort and apologize to.

He slammed to a halt when a piece of thoughts slammed into him. _-Shame that the voivode didn't get to see it. Poor mistress, she had looked so excited earlier too. She seemed so…dejected when I left._

Vlad watched as the staff member he had sent to clean up the room turned the corner, her arms full with a garbage bag and a worried frown on her face. The frown disappeared when she saw him as she rushed to bow.

He waved impatiently for her to stand, speaking only when she did so. "Are you finished with cleaning the sitting room." A brief flash of discomfiture passed her face before she replied.

"Ma'am told me to clean your chambers instead…Was that wrong?" She looked ready to have a stroke, Vlad shook his head to relieve her of that panic. Confusion bit at his mind, what would be in their room that would require throwing out?

"No, you followed her order. Give that to me, I will deal with it accordingly." She looked briefly hesitant, before handing over the bag. Vlad sent her away with a flick of his hand, his mind now occupied with curiosity over the bag in his arms.

Entering the sitting room, he stopped to glance around at the space now empty of its previous bright colors. Another pang twisted in his chest when he saw the garbage can full of decorations, all crushed and mangled to fit. The sight screamed dejection, as if it were rubbing Vlad's failure with his wife in his face.

The wine sat forgotten on the table, at a closer glance he noticed that it was the same wine they had shared in the beginning of her stay before they had been dating. Shifting the bag to one hand, he grabbed the bottle and the glasses in his other. Wine is a good addition to any apology, and after how the day had turned he knew without a doubt that there would be an apology.

It was rare that Vlad deemed a situation necessary for a verbal apology, but this was one of the few times that actions weren't going to be enough.

Walking into the bedroom he glanced around, confusion blooming when Leila was nowhere in sight. He had expected her to be here, whether she was angry and refusing to speak with him or hurt and curled amongst the blankets. Focusing on his hearing he caught the slightest shuffling from the adjoining room, alerting him to her whereabouts.

That unfortunately told him nothing about how Leila was feeling, she retreated to that room when they fought all the time. It could mean that she was angry with him or she could be wanting space after his hurtful words. Glancing at the bag, he decided to deal with that first. If Leila wanted space then this would give her time to herself before they talked. Besides, his curiosity was only growing as to what was in the bag, as well as what Leila had planned for it before the evening had taken its turn. Placing the wine and glasses on the stand, he focused on the bag.

Upending it onto the bed, Vlad watched as flower petals fell out. His confusion disappeared as he noticed the candles scattered amongst the flowers. Apparently, his wife hadn't only decorated the sitting room. The real surprise had been in here, waiting for her to lead him to it.

Remorse washed over him in waves. Leila didn't try things like this often and after how her first attempt had gone, he doubted that she would try again anytime in the next century, if she ever did at all.

Sitting on the bed surrounded by the items, he picked up one of the petals. Absentmindedly turning it in his palm as he considered the situation. Had the night gone how Leila had planned they would be here now, intertwined together after what would have undoubtedly been a few rounds of passionate love making. The blood bags on the nightstand made his groin tighten with anticipation that he quickly stomped down. He would be a fool to assume that his earlier actions and words would allow for any amorous activities.

Even if she forgave him, he doubted that sex was in the cards for tonight. On the few occasions Vlad had truly hurt her feelings they hadn't been intimate until the next day at least. When feelings were genuinely hurt it was better to leave anything carnal out of the equation until they were back on equal footing again. There was plenty of time after the hurt had been soothed to partake in that, right now it was more important to deal with the unintentional pain he had caused her.

After glancing at the candles again, Vlad made his decision. Standing up, making sure to stay as quiet as possible, he began setting the candles strategically around the room. Once done, he properly scattered the petals around the bed before standing back to get a better look at his handiwork. He wasn't usually one to do such things, but he could appreciate the thought and effort Leila put into it. It hadn't escaped his notice that the flowers were his favorite.

Nodding in satisfaction, Vlad turned to the adjoining room across the hall. Time to go apologize. Determination filled him as he reached her door, the quiet shuffling freezing upon hearing his approach. Knocking lightly against the frame he spoke clearly, knowing that she can hear him. "Leila, may I come in? We have things we need to discuss."

He could practically feel her indecision through the door, her answer when it came was hesitant. "I...would prefer you didn't."

Internally grimacing at the slight gravelly quality to her voice, Vlad knew that the worst case scenario had happened. Leila's voice only dropped that low when she was trying to hide the after effects of crying from him. She hated it when he saw her crying and did her best to hide away from him whenever it happened, to his frustration. As her husband it was his duty to be there when she needed it, that included times of emotional pain, especially when he was the cause of her distress.

Vlad shook himself out of the train of thought, he had to focus on the present. If she accepted his apology then he could comfort her in person and wipe away her tears himself as he should be. Before he could do that though, he had to get Leila to let him in the room.

"To use a phrase you are so fond of, I have a counter offer. I will stay out here while we have this discussion, but we still need it to be done. You can let me in whenever you feel ready." Vlad hoped that both his silently following her wishes to not open the door and his attempt at humor would move her. He heard a choked laugh, before silence.

"You'd seriously stand outside the door while we talk?" He could hear her disbelief, it made his mouth quirk up in amusement.

"Until you wish to let me enter, yes that is what I will be doing." To punctuate his point he leaned back against the door before sliding down to sit in front of it. The silence stretched before Leila's voice broke it. "You don't have to do that, just give me a minute…" Vlad's mouth pulled down, he knew the reason she asked for time and it pulled at his heart.

"There's no need to hide your tears from me Leila. I am well aware of their existence and, as I've told you in the past, when you're distressed I should be by your side." A snort from the other side made him grimace, yes it was ironic for him to talk about being there for her through her distress when he was the one who caused it.

"Before we get any further in this conversation, there's something I need to say and you need to hear. I apologize for my earlier overreaction to your attempt at celebrating my birthday. I offer no excuse as there isn't one that makes my words to you acceptable. Just know that I misunderstood and I don't think your decorations were foolish. Should you wish to continue, we could retire to our room with the wine and watch a movie. If you would prefer to keep your space then I will retire to our room and we can talk more tomorrow." Vlad hated offering that, but he knew that it was important to give Leila space when she needed it. Crowding his wife was never a good idea, especially not with a raw emotional wound so newly made.

Thankfully she didn't take him up on the second option. The door behind him shifted, alerting him to its opening. As he moved to stand, he stopped briefly to consider a way to bring a smile onto her face. Smirking to himself, he let his weight slide backwards with the door until he was falling. A light collision with the ground was a small price to pay if it brought a smile to his wife's lips. Instead of the ground touching his back, Leila's knee caught his weight. Her hand sliding into his hair as he tilted his head back to look at her from his place half reclining against her knee.

Leila was fighting a smile, her eyes dry but red from rubbing, the slight sheen of pink on her cheeks the only other sign of her tears. "Were you seriously going to just let yourself fall over?"

Vlad shrugged in answer, "I knew it would make you smile and it accomplished that. Although I see you didn't allow me to completely fall." Leila smiled sheepishly, "Habit, I saw you falling and forgot that you could catch yourself."

In the next blink Vlad stood in front of Leila, his hands cradling her face and stroking the path her tears had taken previously. His smile fell as the previous topic came to mind. "If you would like to continue with whatever else you had planned for the evening you have my full cooperation, but if you would prefer to simply lay in bed with wine and enjoy one anothers company I would be just as happy with that."

Leila looked down, remembering the flowers and candles. "Ah I had something else but it doesnt matter. It was stupid and I prefer your idea anyway."

Before she could move past him, Vlad pulled her into his chest while wrapping her into an embrace. Once her surprise wore off she melted into him, arms tightening around his waist as her head cuddled into his shoulder.

His next words made her stiffen and pull back, "Whatever your idea was, it wasn't stupid, of that I guarantee. I can guess that it included the blood bags on the nightstand and the tie wrapped around your hand."

Leila looked up at him with wariness, "Yeah, I figured since I enjoyed what we did with the blood last time, I thought you might want to do it this time. I prefer being blindfolded than tied down, but I'll follow your lead."

Vlad's mouth quirked, Leila didn't know he had seen the flowers and candles, but she was about to find out. "Do you wish to continue with your plan? The previous option of simply enjoying one another's company with wine is still available should you choose it." As he spoke he unwound his tie from her hand, placing a kiss on her knuckles as he did so.

Leila considered as she leaned into the hand that traveled from her own to cup her cheek. She wasn't really in the mood for anything more right now, but that didn't mean she wouldn't be later… "Could we start with the movie and wine? Maybe later we can move on to other things, but I'm not really in the mood right now."

Placing another kiss on her cheek, Vlad nodded before tugging her back toward their room. He knew when Leila saw the arrangement, her arm yanked to a stop a foot behind him. His smile grew at her flabbergasted expression before settling into mortification. "I guess it wasn't enough you had to see my failed attempt at a party."

The self deprecation in her tone had Vlad spinning her around and planting his lips on hers. He knew that hated voice would have wasted no time in starting on her,sometimes he hated being right. He would have to make sure she understood that his earlier reaction had nothing to do with her, but for now he had an easy way of silencing her negative thoughts.

Her squeak of surprise was muffled before she curled closer to his chest. Once he pulled back he smirked down at her. "Everytime you say something self deprecating I am going to silence you this way. As for your statement, you didn't fail in either of your endeavours. I ordered you to stop your party because I misunderstood what it was for and I see nothing that would constitute failure in this plan."

"But the flowers…" She looked so hesitant that Vlad pulled her back into his arms to reassure her. Her confidence had come far since they had begun their relationship, but after events like this it reduced back down to its lowest state. It made Vlad wary, how easily a word or action from him could completely tear down Leila's hard fought confidence. He was usually decent at watching his words and actions, but he wasn't perfect by any means. As today's events showcased brilliantly.

"Are lovely. While I would never plan such a thing, there is nothing wrong with feeling amorous every now and then. You took care in choosing a flower that I like as well as planning an evening that, had it gone to plan, would have been very enjoyable. That is more than enough for me."

Leila nodded, relieved that he hadn't made fun of her attempt before confusion replaced her happiness. "Wait, how did you get all this stuff? I saw the lady leave with it earlier."

Vlad shrugged, "I heard her thoughts and found out what you had planned. She had been on her way to throw it out, but I stopped her and retrieved it. Once back here I set all of it up again. You put quite a bit of effort into this, the least I could do after my actions in the last hour is make sure this didn't go to waste."

Leila stared at him dumbfounded. Her husband had found and placed all of the candles and petals that she had previous assumed were in the garbage somewhere. Warmth spread through her, soothing the last of the leftover sting from earlier as it went. Vlad may be callous some times, but he did care. He just showed it in different ways than everyone else.

Standing on tiptoes, Leila pulled him down for a kiss. Gratitude and love mixing together as she tried to curl as physically close as she could. The warm arms wrapped around her suddenly scooped low behind her knees, lifting her in a bridal carry.

Vlad's looked down at her with his signature smirk as he laid her amongst the petals before joining her. Placing his arm underneath her head, he reached for the plush comforter and wrapped Leila in it. Once done, he handed her the remote and settled comfortably next to her.

"It's your birthday, shouldn't you be choosing what we watch?" Leila's voice held no real fight as she started to flip through the channels. Vlad tightened his arm around her until they were pressed together again. "I have no preference over one or the other, I am content laying here with you."

Leila rested her head on his chest, over where his heart laid silent, and relaxed against him. Today hadn't turned out how she had hoped, but as Vlad shifted her body to rest between his legs, forming a physical shield around her, she couldn't say she minded where the night ended.

_

Later, after they had the chance to relax from the excitement of the day, Vlad returns to the sitting room for a book only to see the remaining party poppers on the table. The sight reminding him of the thorough scrubbing he had to give himself to get those irritating grains off of him.

Picking them up, he moved to throw them away only to stop mid motion as he remembered the short lived humor in his wife's eyes when she had coated him in the substance. He turned the contraption over in his palm as he considered it.

That was how Leila found him a minute later, at the sight of the popper she immediately jumped into a verbal defence. Vlad silently mourned the loss of her previous relaxed state, now tense as if expecting an emotional blow.

"I was planning on sending those to the kids in the town next time someone went. No reason to waste them after all. I wasn't going to use them on you again though."

Vlad silenced her worried babble with a kiss. After a hesitant moment, Leila wrapped her arms around him as she sank into it. Her shoulders relaxed as Vlad showed no negative reaction to the popper's presence. She tried to jump back in the next instant when a loud, _bang!_, sounded behind her. Vlad's arms tightened until there was no room between their chests.

Confusion plagued Leila until she noticed the dust like glitter floating down around them. Remembering to close her mouth just in time as it settled across both of their figures. Staring at Vlad in shock, who looked smugly amused at her expression, she sputtered out in protest. "But you hate glitter!"

"Yes I do, but it washes off and you like it. However, I refuse to be the only one coated." Leila's shock swept away as a laugh vibrated low in her chest at the sight of Vlad willingly coated in glitter. His smile softened around the edges as he watched her try to hold back the laughter, only to give up and let it loose while leaning against him.

His arms came up to wrap around her as she let it all out, her body convulsing uncontrollably as she fought to get herself under control again. Having his much happier wife safely in his arms made the grainy substance already finding its way to uncomfortable areas worth it. Besides, he had an ulterior motive for this.

Leila's laugh was cut off when Vlad scooped her legs out from under her. Walking into their bathroom he began pulling both of their clothes off while speaking. "Do you know how difficult it is to get this infernal substance off of skin? It takes several very thorough washes to get all of it. Now that we are both covered, we need to be sure that we are completely clean before we can face the staff again. The rumors would be atrocious otherwise."

Leila smiled up at Vlad, maybe he had his own reasons for covering them in glitter but that didn't matter. He had done it with her without complaint and she had gotten to see what he looked like covered in it. As he turned on the water and stepped in, pulling her along with him, she was happy that this part of her plan had stayed intact. 


	17. Kigurimi Request by MissLissa4

Hey guys! This is my shortest one yet, but it was more or a snippet plot idea than an actual story. So in this one Vlad gets a present from Cat, but it winds up being more of a present for Leila.

Vlad sat across from Bones and Cat in the lounge, Leila sitting at his side, with a brightly colored box sitting neatly in his lap. He eyed Bones with open suspicion, if the gift had come from only Cat he wouldn't have reason to be wary. However the street peasant was looking too amused for whatever was in the package to be anything harmless. Leila prodded at his side, reminding him that while he didn't trust Bones, the gift _was_ from Cat. Internally huffing, he broke his staring contest with her husband to thank her for the gift.

After the pleasantries were exchanged, he tore through the paper that he now noticed had vampire bats on it. Cat's sense of humor was twisted. He could practically feel Leila's curiosity as he opened the box.

Leila let out a cross between a delighted laugh and a choked cough, Vlad shooting her an exasperated glance before smiling ruefully at Cat. "I do hope you don't believe I will be wearing this?"

Cat burst into laughter, leaning against Bones as she shook her head. "No, I'm sorry but I couldn't help myself. When I saw the add for the Kiguimi that was shaped like a dragon, I figured it would make a good gag gift. Your real one is on the way, it got stuck in the mail but I couldn't resist seeing the look on your face."

Vlad shook his head in amusement, putting the box and the jet black dragon onesie to the side. He would deal with it later, Cat didn't visit often so he would enjoy chatting with her while she was here. Leila tugged the box closer with open curiosity and enjoyment. Vlad caught the glint of plotting in her gaze and internally grimaced. He hoped that she wasn't going to try to get him to wear that silly thing. If she really tried he had no doubt that, with the correct incentive, she could get him into it. Cat's voice pulled his attention away from the box and into an ongoing argument they had been having over the topic of modern vampire fiction.

Meanwhile, Leila's impish grin was lost on both Vlad and Cat. Bones eyed her grin and bit back a smile. When he had seen what his Kitten had ordered he had almost busted his gut laughing, but seeing how Leila was looking at it he got the feeling the gag gift was going to see more use than his wife had originally thought it would.

Deciding not to comment, Bones leaned back and pulled Cat into his side. He was content with the turn of events and if his hunch was correct then Tepesh was in for an interesting surprise.

Vlad walked back from the entrance, having just seen Cat and Bones out. Leila had been unusually quiet during the conversation and it had caught his attention. Worry tugged at his mind, but he could remember nothing that would explain her odd behavior. They hadn't been angry with one another recently, not that he was aware of anyway, and as far as he knew he had done nothing to earn ire.

He pondered his wife's odd quiet mood as he moved to their room. It was entirely possible there was nothing wrong and she was simply tired, they had just expended considerable energy before being alerted of Bones and Cat's arrival. But usually if that was the case Leila would lean against him, she had kept a neutral distance during the present exchange.

Opening the door to their chambers, he jerked to a halt directly inside the doorway. He blinked twice to make sure he wasn't imagining things, before speaking to his wife who laid lounging on the bed.

"Leila, why are you wearing that thing?" His wife glanced up at him, before shrugging casually in the black onesie that he could now see had little black wings and a hood made to look like a cartoon dragon's head.

"Because I wanted to and it looks cute. Obviously it's too big for me, but it was sized for you so that makes sense. You can get rid of it later, it's comfy." To prove her point, she raised her knees and curled into the soft fabric.

Vlad wasn't sure whether to laugh or sigh, it was an improvement over her trying to force him into it but not by much. The sigh won out as he shook his head fondly, his wife would never cease to surprise him. Moving toward the bed, he grabbed the hood and pulled it down over her face, to her protest. As he glanced over her, he admitted to himself that while he would never wear it willingly, somehow it fit Leila's personality perfectly.

"If you enjoy it then keep it, as long as you don't expect me to wear it then I see no reason you can't." Leila flipped the hood off of her head to better see him as she grinned up at him.

"Awesome. It really is comfy, although your shirts are still my favorite." Vlad's eyes flicked between copper and green, the statement dragging his mind back to what they had been doing before the interruption.

A slow smile spread across his face as he wrapped his hand into her hair while his other one trailed down to the zipper. "As they should be. While you look comfortable in that, I much prefer the sight of you in my shirt." Before Leila could reply, Vlad joined her on the bed, not wasting a minute before restarting their earlier activities. She made a mental note to thank Cat for the gift, even if it hadn't technically been meant for her.

And that's a wrap. I'll be working on the other requests as I can get to them, college is insane and so is work so it may be a bit.  
As always, feel free to read and review with ideas.


	18. Animal Features Requested by MissLissa4

Hello everyone! This is another request by MissLissa4, I hope you like it! I will be doing another one for Mencheres and Kira soon with possible part 2 coming later. A reader and I have been working back and forth on what couple names everyone should have, do you have any ideas?  
So far the only one was have settled on is Dark Pharaoh for Mencheres and Kira. Thoughts or ideas are appreciated, hope you enjoy the chapter.

As Leila walked toward Vlad's room with the intent of talking him out of kicking her out, her mind wandered to his warning when they had first slept together. "_I can give you honesty, monogamy, and more passion than you can stand, but not love." _The statement twisted her stomach now, the words sitting like acid in her chest. He had wasted no time in continuing with the other things he would never do.

"_I have a simple set of boundaries for my relationships. There will be no displaying of wings, no flights together and I will never show you my wings. It is better if you also don't show me yours, as I have no interest in seeing them. If you have a problem with any of those points then it is better you make it clear now." _

At the time she had agreed, after his statement about not being able to love her she had figured that he wouldn't want anything to do with her wings. Although it had stung she had convinced herself that she could live with having some but not all of him. Now she knew that she had only been lying to herself, it was all or nothing. For the sake of her emotions, it had to be.

She hesitated outside of the door momentarily before pushing her way in, she couldn't go back now. Vlad exited his closet barefoot, apparently he had been in the middle of getting dressed.

Before he could speak she rushed to get through what she had to say. "I know you, the real you, and while I don't like everything because you've got a master's degree in medieval torture, not to mention a reluctance to admit to feelings beyond affection or lust, which any shrink would tell you were commitment issues. I still love you, Vlad. You, the dragon, not the imaginary knight, and I'm not letting you kick me out because I—I think you love me, too."

She waited a minute for him to say anything only to continue on when he remained silent, making no sound as he moved toward her on bare feet. "I'm not going to ask you to show me your wings if that's what you're worried about. I would be happy without ever seeing them if that's what you wanted." It hurt to even say, but if he truly didn't want to show her his wings or see hers then she wouldn't try to force the subject.

He stopped in front of her, "You're right," he said at last, his tone thick with things she couldn't name.

"About what? The excessive torturing, commitment issues, or the other thing?" She had to force it past her suddenly tight throat, half of her was relieved that he hadn't agreed to never showing his wings and the other half worried he had ignored that part.

In the next instant one of his hands was in her hair and the other rested on her back. "All of it." His mouth pressed against her throat, the vibrations sending a shiver down her throat as she spoke. "Do you know what happened the last time I loved someone?"

It was all she could do to nod, her body locked tight as every cell focused on him. "No you don't. You only know how she died. Let me tell you how she lived—in fear. My actions horrified her, as they horrify you. My enemies exploited her, as they exploit you, so it was more than an advancing army that made her throw herself from our roof. It was me." He pressed his teeth to her throat as he spoke, as if she needed the reminder of how dangerous living with him would be.

Raising her arms, she stripped off her gloves before plunging both hands into his hair. She held him closer against her throat as her electricity surged into him. "I am not her." Her voice thrummed with vehemence as she continued. "You're the scariest man I've ever met, but I am not afraid of you. As for your enemies, let them come. I've survived them before and I will again."

Vlad's laugh tickled her neck, momentarily confusing her before he spoke. "You should be afraid. Very afraid. Before, I told you if you wanted to end things between us, I would let you go, but, Leila"—his voice deepened—"I lied."

Hope bloomed in her chest, "Does that mean you're not trying to kick me out now?" Vlad wrapped his arms around her, turning her toward the closet.

"Does that answer your question?" She felt in a daze as they argued back and forth about him moving her things without asking. It felt like such a trivial thing to talk about after the rollercoaster the last few days had been. She was snapped out of her wandering thoughts by his next sentence. Her mind coming to a screeching halt in uncomprehension.

"I want you to marry me." Not a question, a statement. She was going to get whiplash with how quickly he changed tracks.

"Love is a terrible weakness. It gives your enemies a perfect target, clouds your judgment, makes you reckless . . . and that's on a good day." His hands continued their caressing path to her waist, their heat barely diminished by the thin material of the robe. "On a bad day," he went on, his voice turning harsh, "it can destroy you. I never wanted to subject myself to that again, so yes, I kept you at arm's length. I even let you leave to prove to myself that you meant no more to me than my previous lovers. And then Martin called, telling me you'd been killed." His grip tightened painfully before he released her, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. "I didn't care about anything then. Not crushing my enemies, protecting my people, or how maddening you were by expecting me to behave like a modern man, as if I could shrug off half a millennium of living, based on your whim."

She made a mental note to address that later, before focusing back on him. "Then I went to the morgue and saw that those bones weren't yours, heard your voice again in my head and once more, nothing else mattered."

His eyes opened as his mouth twisted harshly, "Then, of course, I discovered you'd run off with Maximus because you thought I was the one who tried to kill you. It enraged me, but I was determined to find you. Once I did, you maddened me no less than before, yet over the past few days, I realized it was too late."

His hands came up to cradle her face, his eyes intense as they burned into her own. His next words sent her heart soaring, "I love you, Leila, and nothing else matters."

She barely got out the words, "I love you too, Vlad." Before a ripping pain slammed into her back. Hunching forward with a muffled grunt, warm hands grabbed her arms as Vlad's voice sharp with concern asked her what was wrong.

She didn't get the words out in time, in the next instant her wings arched out of her back. Feathers floated to the ground as the two limbs broke free from their prison, sending equal parts relief and despair through her. He had only just admitted to loving her and her wings decided now was the time to force an appearance.

She felt as her face flushed brilliant red as she tried to force her still twitching wings back into her back. "I'm sorry, I swear I didn't do that on purpose! Just give me a minute, you can turn around if you want to."

She hunched her wings down, trying to hide them behind her back once she came to the conclusion that they weren't going anywhere.

Just as she was about to make a dash into the closet until they could be subdued again, Vlad stopped her.

"There is no need to hide them from me, Leila. My previous rules about our relationship no longer apply. While I don't have the time right now to explore them as they deserve, I will do so later. As long as you allow it, of course." His tone was even and his hands trailed down to grip her own in comfort.

It all seemed too good to be true. He had admitted his love, accepted hers and said he wanted to see her wings all in the span of five minutes.

Seeing how overwhelmed she was, Vlad spoke again. "If you would prefer I could leave you alone to gather yourself and I can see your wings later once you are more comfortable with me seeing them?"

Vlad knew from thousands of womens thoughts that the majority of women preferred primping before their partner saw their wings for the first time. It was possible that Leila was the same, if that was the case he could wait. He had waited this long, one more night wouldn't end him.

Leila felt relief swell like a balloon, she already felt like she was going to pass out from information overload and just the thought of Vlad seeing her wings made her queasy. Odd considering just a few minutes ago she had been hurt over the thought he didn't want to see them.

Nodding weakly, she responded. "I'm going to take you up on that. I think I'm just a little overwhelmed. You don't need to leave though, just give me a minute."

So saying, she straightened and focused on forcing her wings back into their hiding place. A grimace twisted her face as her wings burned from being forced back into the small space they had been kept over the last few months.

When they finally were put away, she turned back to Vlad. "What do you mean you want to get married…"

_

It was many hours after their discussion and Vlad's proposal when Leila stood in front of a mirror admiring her wedding dress. The beading was intricate to an amazing degree and the gown was gorgeous. Although there was one thing she was confused about, turning to the seamstress she asked. "What is the fabric on the back for? I'm not taking my wings out in front of a crowd."

Just the thought was enough to make her feel dizzy, even showing Vlad was going to be difficult but a roomful of strangers? Never going to happen.

The woman smiled in understanding, "Whether you mean to or not, it is a common occurrence for wings to make an appearance during times of high emotions. Weddings, births and funerals have been known to reveal wings. The fabric is just a caution in case they do."

Leila was glad it was there, because if earlier was any indication her wings would definitely be making an appearance the second that Vlad slipped the ring onto her finger. Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

Time flew and before she knew it, it was time to walk down the aisle with her father on her arm.

Nerves, excitement and love battled for supremacy when she got her first glimpse of Vlad. Her stomach did somersaults as she walked toward him, his eyes practically enthralling her. When only a few steps away, the archway above him caught fire, turning the metal into a molten gold and making her father jerk back in surprise.

After reassuring him and gently pulling her arm away, she climbed the steps to stand at her soon to be husband's side.

Her earlier prediction was incorrect, her wings didn't even wait until he slid the ring on her finger before making an appearance. She had only seconds of warning and barely managed to keep herself standing straight before they ripped out of her back. As the extra fabric caught them and hid them from sight, she felt gratitude that the seamstress had added it. She would have passed out if she had flashed an entire crowd of people with her wings.

Vlad's mouth twitched, his eyes glancing behind her briefly before reconnecting with her. Mentally, Leila apologized for the unexpected appearance, but Vlad reassured her. His voice was quiet enough that not even the pastor could hear, with her upgraded hearing she barely could.

"There is nothing to apologize for, your wings appearance means you are joyful and I find no fault in being happy at our wedding." The words caused a flush to cross her nose and climb back to her ears.

"You managed to control yours, I should be able to control mine." She mumbled, doing her best to be quiet enough so only he could hear. Something dark flashed behind his copper eyes before disappearing too quickly for her to identify.

"I've had many more years of practice than you." Before she could wonder about the look, the pastor gestured for her to say her part. Everything passed in a blur as the crowd cheered after Vlad's declaration. Leila snapped back to the present when her new husband pulled her into a soul searing kiss. Dimly she noticed the cheering reach deafening levels, but she was too focused on Vlad to care.

_

Many hours later, she was ready to collapse on her feet. She had been wrong about her estimate before of there being a hundred people, they had passed one hundred two hours into introductions and were now closer to two hundred. When the clock struck two a.m. she was relieved when Vlad made their excuses for the night. She didn't have much energy left and she didn't want to use it here.

Her train of thought cut off when Vlad scooped low and lifted her in a princess carry. She didn't have time to wish everyone a good night before he was blurring them to their room.

Once they cleared the doorway, he set her down in front of the fireplace with her body sliding against his. Her heart beat triple time as his hands ghosted down her spine, coming to rest right over the muscle release for her wings. She couldn't stop herself from stiffening on instinct, which Vlad noticed. Instead of pressing down and sending her wings spilling out, he stroked it gently.

"Leila, you wanted to show me your wings before so why are you hesitating now?" There was no irritation in his voice, only patience, as she thought it over. When he had told her he would never want to see her wings, a small part of her had been relieved. If he didn't want to see them, she didn't have to worry about him possibly rejecting them after all.

Vlad's mouth twisted into a hard frown, overhearing her thoughts. Leila ducked her head when she remembered that he could hear her. His hands came up to cup her face before lifting her eyes to meet his. "I will not reject any part of you, least of all your wings. From the glimpse I caught of them earlier, you have no reason to fear."

Leila bit her lip, part of her knew that she was being ridiculous but the child in her still feared rejection from those she loved. "I know you won't, but no matter how much I tell myself that, the feeling doesn't go away."

Pulling her into his arms, Vlad tightened his hold on her until she was curled into his shoulder. Resting his chin against her head, he reassured. "The only way to be rid of that feeling is for me to prove to you that there is no part of you that I won't love. Let me see your wings. Trust me with this, my wife."

Curling further into his shoulder, she nodded and tightened her arms around him. Understanding the unspoken statement, Vlad stroked over the release again before placing just enough pressure to push her wings out. His arm stayed wrapped around her waist as he continued applying pressure, watching as her wings slowly filled the fabric in her dress made to cover them. Once they were both completely out, he moved his hand from the release to the cloth covering her feathers.

After a reassuring squeeze, he unclasped the buttons at the back of her throat that held the fabric against her dress. He watched riveted as it fell away to reveal feathers of blue, gold and red. As his eyes took in the vibrant colors, his mind inputted what type of bird they came from. The Scarlet Macaw. That also explained why her wings were larger than average, each one looking to be double the average wing size.

None of what he had seen as of yet explained her reluctance to show him, her wings were beautiful and he wasted no time in telling her so. "You are beautiful, every part of you. Now that I've seen this I can say that with absolute certainty."

Instead of being overjoyed, as he expected, Leila tensed further. Her wings stretched out behind her and lifted up to bare the vulnerable secondary feathers and coverts. The sight that met him stole his breath away and turned his stomach. Rage and understanding slammed through his being, making him tense without thinking.

The entire underside of her wings all the way back to the wing pit and marginal coverts was covered in scars. They cut through her feathers, interconnecting to form a giant scar in the shape of a bolt of lightning flashing across the sky. Dimly he acknowledged that with her flight feathers cut she would never be able to go on a flight, but his attention shifted when she tensed in his arms. Her thoughts and tremulous emotions loud against his own.

His arm had loosened in his shock and, combined with his sudden tension, she had taken it the wrong way. She went to shuffle back in shame as her wings lowered and hunched to hide the scars again. Before she could get far, his arm yanked her back to him. "Your wings are nothing to be ashamed of, the same as the scar on your body marks you a survivor so too does this."

Her previous nerves melted into relief, her body sagging against his while her arms came up to enclose him tightly. Vlad used his free hand to gently brush against the primary feathers, causing her wings to jerk in surprise.

When he went to pull back, Leila spoke up. "It's fine, you can touch them. I'm just not used to feeling anyone brushing them now."

Knowing there was a story there, Vlad made a mental note to inquire further later. Right now he had better things to focus on.

His hands reached out again and carefully traced the feathers from the tip of her wing to the inside. He put his hand underneath her hunched wing, gently lifting the joint up to reveal the scarring again. It made sense why she was so self conscious about them, she had been the same with the scar on her face. Now that he got a better look, the feathers that were still intact were in complete disarray. Some were broken halfway out of her wing, some sitting at odd angles and most of the rest were tangled or matted from long years without being brushed out.

"Why are your feathers in such a state?" He had a hunch, but he wanted her to confirm it. Leila pulled back and grimaced.

"After the accident no one could touch my wings but me, the electricity I naturally give off is higher on them. My mother used to preen them for me because of how large they are, but after she passed I couldn't make myself keep up the maintenance. The memories hurt too much and it wasn't worth the effort I would have had to put in, since I didn't have anyone to display for."

Vlad frowned at the pain and loneliness her words carried. Never again, he mentally swore, will she be alone. He would make sure of it. "That will change now, you have me and I will thoroughly enjoy running my fingers through your feathers until they are groomed to my standards. Considering the size of your wings they will need at least a monthly preening, but to keep them well maintained it will take weekly brushing. Which I am more than happy to provide. It will take hours to straighten them from their current state, but we can do that later. For now, we have other matters to focus on." So saying, he slid his hand up to undue the fasteners on her dress, watching as it slid down her like water, leaving her bare before him.

Leila's eyes glinted with building arousal, "Yes, definitely later."

Vlad stroked his hand down her back, avoiding the pressure release for her wings as he did so. She had only just gotten to sleep a few hours ago and he didn't want to wake her yet. His mind wandered to her wings and the scarring covering the inside. She hadn't once asked him to return the gesture of showing her wings, she also hadn't displayed although he had heard her thoughts wanting to.

As much as he appreciated that, he couldn't keep avoiding the subject. She had given him all of her, which left him to gift what was left of him. It had been centuries since his wings had been released and even longer since he had flown. He doubted the muscles could hold him now, they had wilted during his imprisonment and he hadn't bothered to exercise them before he had turned into a vampire. A picture of Leila's scarring covering her flight feathers came to mind, it didn't matter if he couldn't fly. She was the only one he would wish to go on a flight with and she couldn't.

As his hand stroked over the pressure point, his mind drifted to the subject of presenting. He had asked her not to, but as he had said previously his rules were now redundant. Knowing Leila how he did, he doubted that she would present for him. Whether from self consciousness or just general wariness of his reaction.

Glancing over her lightly snoring form pressed against his hip, he considered presenting to her and what it would entail. He had no fear that she would reject it, but how to go about doing it? He hadn't been particularly interested when the topic had been brought up as a child and he had even less interest when he was finally released from his imprisonment.

After the depravities his captors had done to his wings, he would have just as soon cut them off. The only thing that had stopped him had been his determination to not let them have that victory. Now he was glad that he hadn't, while his wings weren't pretty or covered in colorful feathers as most were, they were still part of him and he wanted to give Leila all of what was left.

With his decision made, he stood up from the bed while being careful not to wake his sleeping wife. Walking over to the closet, he moved passed the front section back to the full body mirror. Staring into it, he concentrated on muscles he had long ignored. The only feeling he received back was a slight tingling between his shoulders. Surely, he could still release them without using his pressure release? Before he could try to press it, Leila began to stir.

He heard her call out to him in confusion, making him walk back out of the closet to answer her. "I'm here." She relaxed, only for her brow to furrow in confusion. He didn't need to get dressed yet, which made him being in the closet odd.

"Is something wrong?" Her voice was still heavy with sleep, but slowly edging toward wakefulness. Vlad returned to his place at her side, stroking a hand into her hair as he considered how to answer. How does one tell their spouse that they didn't know if they could release their wings? Deciding to go for the direct route, he spoke.

"Nothing is wrong, per se. I do however, have a dilemma. I can't pull my wings out, I haven't tried in the last five centuries and now that I want to, I can't." Leila immediately sat up, the topic having her full and undivided attention. She had never considered why he hadn't wanted her to see his wings, she had assumed it had something to do with his imprisonment and left it at that.

"You could use the pressure release on your back?" Her voice was hesitant, not sure if she was crossing any boundaries but wanting to see where he was going with this. Vlad hummed in thought, rolling his shoulders and trying to nudge his wings into action again only for the same result.

He had briefly felt them try to push out during the wedding ceremony, but keeping them locked down was second nature now. He briefly revisited how Leila had looked walking up the aisle to him and how her wings draped in her wedding dress after they had forced their way out. He felt his wings shift inside him, more than he had managed before but still not coming out, to his frustration.

Here he was, wanting to present to her, but he couldn't even make his wings reveal themselves. He could try to use the pressure release, as she suggested, but he didn't have the best memories with that and the last thing he wanted were reminders.

When he spoke this aloud, Leila immediately nodded in understanding. Not a hint of pity colored her features as she thought on the problem, making affection flare in his chest.

Briefly he thought back to his younger days, when he was still growing into his wings. They had been too large for him back then, dragging the ground constantly whenever he had them out. His father had chastised him to lift them up, but they had been too heavy to lift, causing him to simply keep them hidden for the most part. Many years of his childhood had been spent loathing his wings, their size and weight being a constant burden on him.

His mother had found him once, glaring at his wings after a failed attempt at flight. When he had told her of his dislike of their size she had smiled amusedly before telling him, "Your wings are the size they are because someday in the future you will have someone to hold in them. That someone must have decent sized wings themselves for you to need such large ones to cradle them." At the time he had been enamored with the thought of encompassing someone he cared for in his wings, acting as a shield from the world around them. However, his imprisonment had quickly changed his view.

During his captivity he had done his best to keep them hidden, his captors had taken a perverse joy out of stroking their surface. When he had started biting parts off of his captors when they touched his wings, they replaced their filthy hands with knives. He preferred the knives to their touch, pain was easier to deal with than disgust.

Leila's voice pulled him away from his dark train of thought. "Instead of that, I could display to you and see if it causes a reaction?" Her words were cautious, unsure how they would be received.

Vlad stroked his chin in thought, scowling slightly. _He_ had wanted to display for _her,_ not the other way around but if that was the only way to coax his wings from their place then so be it. He nodded in agreement and immediately he scented Leila's excitement and nerves.

Smiling, he stood from the bed and held out a hand to help her up. Once they both stood in the middle of the room, Leila closed her eyes and focused on unfolding her wings. It was slow at first, with her not being used to calling them at will, but inch by inch they slid out until they draped across her back, her feathers tickling the skin they brushed.

Opening her eyes, she locked her gaze with Vlad before slowly extending her wings as far up and to the side as she could, her wings trembling lightly from nerves. Once completely open, she focused on her desire and love for him. Her wings reacted accordingly, the feathers puffing up slightly and shifting to catch the light.

Vlad watched in awe as the colors seemed to glow, feeling enchanted as he watched the lights play off the feathers. A sharp pain stabbed through his spine, he felt his wings shift inside their confinement and, for the first time since he had been released from his imprisonment, he allowed them to do as they wished.

They came out at a crawl, every inch feeling odd as they pulled from his back. The weight was familiar and yet not as his wings finally pulled free completely. The muscles were stiff from disuse, but he could still feel and move them to his surprise. Looking to where Leila still held her position, her eyes wide as she stared at his wings in shock.

He half expected her to be afraid, his wings were not nice to look at even before his torture. Instead of the colorful feathers that his brothers had, he had been born with black scale covering too big wings. He didn't have to look to know that they were covered in scars from the torture he had undergone. His eyes gauged Leila's reaction as he slowly flexed them outward.

Instead of the fear he expected, her pupils dilated with desire and her scent broadcasted it loud and clear for him. The sight didn't send dread through him, as it had in the past, in its place a fierce pride filled his chest that despite the many years of abuse, his wings could pull such a reaction from her.

No longer wary of her reaction, Vlad smirked and opened his wings to the fullest, mimicking her stance with a loud snap. For the first time since he was a boy, he stretched his wings to their fullest capabilities. His muscles protested it for a moment before his natural healing soothed the soreness.

Leila's scent strengthened and her wings fluttered slightly, sending soft and downy feathers drifting through the air. Her next words were whispered, but they hit with the force of truck. "You really are my dragon."

Pride swelled in his chest, his wings arching up to show his pleasure at the title. She grinned at him, happy beyond words at his acceptance. She had never expected to be able to do a mutual displaying with him, on their wedding night no less, but now that she was here she was the happiest she had ever been.

Hearing her thoughts, Vlad lowered his wings before opening his arms. Leila wasted no time in walking into them, pushing her wings back to be out of the way as his arms locked around her waist.

She felt the vibrations from Vlad's voice through his shoulder before she realised he was speaking, "If you wish to examine them closer you are more than welcome, you don't need permission to touch any part of me now. My wings had been the only things off limits to you, and now they are not. We have time now, after you've had your fill I plan to preen your feathers up to my standards." While his words weren't phrased as a question, she knew that if she told him no, he would respect that and leave her feathers alone. But she didn't want to refuse him. It had been so long since anyone had touched her wings, now that he was offering they practically ached for it.

Hearing her thoughts, Vlad smiled down at her. "Then it is settled, but first it's your turn. How would you like me?" He knew she would catch the double entendre, her face flaring brightly in embarrassment before she shrugged. Her feathers practically vibrated with excitement, even as she put on a neutral front.

"Wherever would be most comfortable for you, I guess." Vlad grabbed her arm and led her back to the bed, sitting on the edge before turning to give her better access. Once she stood behind him, her fingers hovering over his scales with uncertainty, he took matters into his own hands to hurry the process along. He flared his wings out, stretching the one nearest to her hand until her fingers brushed his scale.

Vlad bit back a shudder as careful fingers ghosted over his scales. The first touch he had felt on his wings in over five centuries and the only friendly touch aside from his own. Taking a minute to breath in the sensation, he encourages her on when she stopped. "You won't hurt me, feel free to explore to your heart's content."

Her fingers were slow at first, barely enough pressure to even feel their presence, as they ghosted over the scars that liberally coated his wings. He remembered receiving every one of them, but he no longer felt the revulsion that he used to when he thought on their making.

As his wife's touch traced over every scar and scale he relaxed, only to jolt forward when her lips pressed lightly against one. Immediately Leila backed away, his wings snapping out on instinct and alarming her.

He reassured her before she could retreat any further, "I'm fine, it has been many years since my wings have felt the touch of skin and they are reacclimating to it. Continue."

It took her a moment to start again, but this time she slid close mouthed kisses down the wing joints. The intimate touches sent shivers down his spine, his wings arching into her touch any time she pulled back. As her mouth explored his scars, her fingers lightly traced the edges.

He felt her speak against his shoulder, "Your scales are cooler than the rest of your body, they feel really nice." So saying, she rested her cheek against his scales. The warmth of her skin soaked into his wings, sending an almost lethargic pleasure through him. Leila took her time tracing every square inch of scale until there wasn't a spot she hadn't touched or kissed.

When her fingers moved toward the joints that connected his wings to his shoulders, she stopped and stared in horror. Circular scars wrapped around each joint, even as her mind was numbed in horrified understanding, Vlad confirmed her suspicions.

"My captors tried to remove my wings, but the bone was too thick with the tools they had." His tone was casual, but Leila knew from her visions that nothing hurt more than damage being done to those joints. The thought that anyone would do such a thing, and to a child at that, sent equal parts rage and disgust through her. What she wouldn't give to go back in time just to throttle the monsters that did this to him…

Vlad's mouth twisted into a dark smile, but not quite a smirk. Her thoughts held no pity, only the want to rip those who had hurt him limb from limb. He understood her rage at his injury, he had similarly been angered during her kidnapping by Tolvai that he couldn't kill her captor due to her having done it already. Instead of addressing her rage, he reached back and squeezed her hand in his. Gently guiding it back to the joint where she had left off. "You are the only person, aside from myself, to touch my wings with no ill intentions. Therefore, you are allowed to touch anywhere on them, because I trust you with my wings, my body and my life."

Emotions choked Leila as he released her hand over the joint, her fingers gently stroking the circle scars with the lightest amount of pressure. She knew that Vlad loved her, and deep down she had known he trusted her but hearing him say it gave her more feelings than she knew what to do with.

Vlad stayed silent, allowing her a moment to collect herself before he nudged her onward. "Finish your exploration, then it will be my turn and I have every intention of keeping you here as long as it takes me to preen your feathers."

His words goaded her on, her hands encircled the joint as her thumb stroked where the skin met scales. Moving forward, she placed a kiss on the thickest cluster of scar tissue before tracing along the circle. She repeated the process with his other wing, before scooting back to signify her being done.

Vlad stretched his wings to their fullest, his wife's loving touch had made them ache to flex out in a show of dominance but he had held them back until she was finished. The instinct to show off his wings was new, but not surprising considering how his wife reacted to them. Now that she was finished, he stood up and moved his wings until they surrounded her own, pulling her against his chest tightly. His arms came up to wrap around her as well, both of them encased inside the sheild of his wings. Briefly his mind flashed back to his boyhood excitement over holding his future loved one in this way, Leila shuffled closer and he wrapped his wings tighter. It was everything he had thought it would be and more.

Her feathers stroked against his scales, the lightest touch sending shivers of sensation through him. Tranquility spread through both of them, as they relaxed into one of the most intimate embraces possible for their kinds. It could have been hours or days before they pulled away, neither cared about the time as it passed.

Vlad stroked her jaw before backing her up to the bed, "Now you have all of me, it is my turn to claim all of you."

Leila nodded, her former nerves trying to surface again which she resolutely ignored. This was Vlad, he would never hurt her. Nodding his agreement, he wrapped his arms around her back and tracing up to the wing joints. The second his fingers brushed the skin where wing met shoulder, Leila's knees gave out. Shifting forward, Vlad lowered her to the bed before kneeling behind her.

As his eyes traced the amount of feathers she had, and took in the level of disarray they were in, he knew that it would take many hours to fix them. Tracing his hands up her spine, between her wings, he nudged her to lie down. "This is going to take a few hours, you may want to make yourself comfortable."

She needed no further prodding, lying down complacently as Vlad's hands brushed against the joints of her wings. Trailing fingers down, he stroked the main joint again before moving up to the tips. Once he had memorized the outlines, he began to carefully pick through her feathers.

His fingers untangled the knots and snares as he went, stopping many times to gently remove bent or barely hanging feathers from her flesh. He deposited the feathers in a pile to his right, their soft and colorful appearance clashing with the black sheets.

When he finished removing stray feathers from both of her wings he had a small mountain to his right. He wasted no time in combing his fingers through the remaining feathers, taking his time to slowly brush them out. Mentally he made a note to purchase wing oil, hers were in desperate need. The feathers looked duller, even with their brighter colors. He could only imagine how they would shine once healthy again.

As he meticulously brushed through the feathers, he silently relished in their soft texture against his palms. Even after so long with no care, they were a thing of wonder. He would enjoy combing her feathers in the many years to come.

It was hours later when he pulled back, her feathers properly groomed for the first time in over a decade. Her wings were a thing of beauty, and they'd look even better after he had oiled them. Seeing her joints twitching from staying still for so long, he started at the wing tips and massaged backward through the outer bones until Leila was a puddle underneath him.

Lying down next to her, careful to not lay on her wing, he pulled her up onto his chest. She had been fighting sleep since he had started, now her eyes fought to remain open as she looked at him. He smiled at her hard headedness, "Get some rest, my love. Perhaps in the morning I can send someone to get some oil from town to use on your feathers. I've been told it feels divine."

Leila hummed in agreement, too tired for words but just conscious enough to understand him. Her thoughts worked better but not by much. _Can I use it on your scales? _

Vlad shrugged without shifting her from her spot. "I don't see why not. While I don't have feathers, you could lather my scales in oil or simply wash them in the shower should you choose to do so."

It was the closest to preening his wings she could get so she would take it. Vlad tightened his arm around her in agreement, before his wings came over both of them like a giant blanket. "Sleep, we can discuss this more tomorrow."


	19. Animal Features Part 2

Hey guys! This is BAWV with a second part to MissLissa4 Request Animal Traits. I couldn't not do Dark Pharaoh after seeing how well Vlad and Leila's turned out. As always, read and review.

Mencheres watched as an avarin couple flew overhead, their feathers flashing in the sunlight as they dipped and spun around one another in the ancient courting ritual. It still surprised Mencheres how open people could be with such activities, doing such things in public for the world to see. While he had no wings, he would never instigate a chase in public. Even in the wilder days of his youth, he had been firmly rooted in the teaching that all things in the bedroom should stay behind closed doors.

His mind drifted to Kira's wings, the eagle wings fitting her personality perfectly. The first time she had shown him had been while they had stayed with Vlad during the Radje debacle. After his admittance of his intent to kill himself in the warehouse, and her confession, her wings had sprung forward with her skyrocketing emotions.

He still felt wonder that she had trusted and cared for him to such an extent after knowing him less than a month. To show ones wings was something special to avarin people. Her wings appearance had further proven her words of love to him and in that instant he had wanted nothing more than to reciprocate her show of emotions. It frustrated him to no end, his inability to return her show of love.

As a member of the feline population, he had no wings to display for her, nor could he take her for a traditional flight. The differences between species courting rituals was a big reason most people chose to remain within their species when dating. While there were still countries where interspecies relations were still illegal, most of the majority allowed it.

Thankfully, the United States was one of the latter. His relationship with Kira would have been strained had it been otherwise. In the beginning of their relationship he had been wary of Kira's thoughts on their different species. He later learned he had nothing to fear, Kira had never put stock in society's norms or its social graces. She loved him and it made no difference to her what animal ancestry he had, to his relief.

Their relationship had bloomed with them becoming inseparable in short order. At the moment he was driving home with Kira, the errands of the day completed left them the afternoon for themselves.

He glanced at Kira's reaction to the exhibitionistic couple still dancing in the sky, only to freeze at her look of longing. She had never made mention of wanting to do such a thing with him, but even if she had. Would it mean the same due to his wingless state? Flights were meant to showcase a person's feathers to their partners as well as their flying prowess. While he was able to fly, he had no feathers to display nor preen.

Did it bother her? Not being able to fly in the way her people's courtship customs demanded?

The thought ate at him throughout the day, even hours after they had arrived home. She had never mentioned any such concerns, but she may hold back any such wishes due to him being unable to change the circumstances.

Kira noticed his far away thoughts ever since they got home from doing errands, but didn't push. Sometimes he got like this, having something on his mind that he needed to work through on his own. It was only when she caught a flash of his emotions, wary and distraught, that she decided to confront him.

Waiting until they were in their sound proofed bedroom, Kira wrapped her arms around him from behind as he was in the process of getting dressed. Freezing momentarily, he relaxed seconds later before leaning into her embrace. "You seem far away today, is everything alright?"

His face shifted into a conflicted grimace, when he spoke his words were carefully chosen. "There is nothing wrong, but I have been thinking intently on a subject that has to do with you."

Blinking in surprise, Kira curled tighter around him before speaking. "Well, whatever it is I'll try my best to help if you tell me about it."

Resting his hand over hers on his abdomen, Mencheres intertwined their fingers as he thought out how to word his question. "Does it bother you, me not being avarin?"

Kira blinked, completely taken off guard. Where had this come from? She had thought they had already discussed her opinion on different species relationships but apparently he still had concerns. Wasting no time in reassuring him, she stroked her fingers against his. "No, I told you before that I love you for you, not for your animal ancestry. Besides, I like your fur. It's soft and silky."

To prove her point, her hand drifted up into his hair and carefully rubbed the cat ears hidden in his long hair. The fur was the exact same stygian shade as his eyes, but softer than anything she had ever felt before. She would love nothing more than to spend hours combing out his ears and tail, if he let her. She hadn't gotten around to asking him yet, but after this she may have to.

Mencheres tilted his head into her touch, the familiar rumble starting low in his chest as her fingers found all the right spots to rub and scratch. He had been delighted to learn that Kira was a natural at ear massages. After long days surrounded by people's loud voices and their equally loud thoughts, he loved having her there to rub the ache away.

Her words made the knot in his chest relax slightly, but not completely. He took great pride in the state of his fur and was exuberant that she enjoyed it so much, but if she was content with his features then why had she looked so longingly earlier?

Kira bit back a chuckle at her husband's purring, the sound always made her want to grin when she heard it. Purring was the feline family's sign of pure enjoyment and she knew she was doing something right when she heard it. Dragging her thoughts back to his original question, before she dragged them both into the nearest bedroom, she asked with an even tone. "What brought that question on?"

Mencheres turned in her arms, returning the gesture silently as he tried to put his worries into words. "Earlier when we were running errands and the avarin couple were doing a mating flight, you looked at them with such longing that I couldn't help but be concerned."

He let his sentence trail off, knowing that he didn't need to complete it. Kira's arms tightened further around him as understanding dawned.

"Mencheres, I was telling the truth when I told you that I love you as you are. While I do wish I could go on a flight with you, I would never change anything about you." Her words rang with conviction, every syllable hammering home to him.

He relaxed the rest of the way at her words, happy to know that she didn't find him lacking due to his lack of certain appendages. His mind turned over her want, having a possible solution but unsure if she would approve or not. "We could still go on a flight, if you wish. I wouldn't be able to display for you, for obvious reasons but we could still do the flight."

Kira blinked up at him, her surprise clear as she mulled over the thought in her head. She had completely forgotten that he could fly and while it wouldn't be quite the same without wings it was more than she had thought she would get.

Taking her silence the wrong way, Mencheres continued on. "Of course I would understand if you wouldn't want to." Before he could bury himself in self consciousness as he was known to do, Kira pulled him down into a gentle kiss that couldn't possibly convey all of her emotions, but was as good a place as any to start.

"I would love to go on a flight with you, but I'm not sure if I can fly." He had stiffened when she said but, only for understanding to wash over him when he continued. Rage drenched his emotions as he mentally pictured her wings, they were glorious but her ex husband had seen to it that patches of feathers had been cruelly ripped out. The uneven amount of feathers may throw off her balance while in flight, but he had never thought about it before.

Bringing their gazes together, he stroked down her spine to the release at her back. His fingers gently prodded it as he spoke. "There is an easy way to test that. If you wish, I can take you out and we can see for ourselves."

Kira bit her lip as she considered, while she would love the chance to go on a real flight with him, her wings weren't exactly pretty with their random bald spots courtesy of Pete. Not to mention, a flight was suppose to be showing your partner how good of a flyer you were, it would be beyond embarrassing if she failed to fly in front of him.

Weighing the pros and the cons, she looked up into his eyes and made her decision at the hope she found in them. He wanted to go on a flight with her and she wanted to go on one with him, the choice was obvious. "Okay, let's try it. I might fail hilariously though, just a heads up. I wasn't a great flyer before he took chunks out of my wings."

She felt a flash of rage before Mencheres smoothed it over with understanding and love. It was nice, knowing how protective he was of her. With their plan set, they wasted no time in heading out to a clearing far enough away to not be seen. Kira bit her lip as she carefully pulled her wings from their hiding place.

Feathers drifted to the ground around her, to her distaste. Mencheres was always so careful to brush her feathers back into order but they never stayed that way for long. Shaking her thoughts back to the present, she carefully lifted her wings and gave a tentative flap to test the muscles.

Soreness immediately greeted her, until her healing kicked in and soothed the under used muscles. Stealing a glance at Mencheres, who was watching her as if incapable of looking away, she tried again.

This time she kept flapping the wings until that air around her kicked the dust up. Slowly building power, she picked up her speed until the muscles tensed in memory of what to do next. Bending her knees, she pushed herself into the air.

For a few terrifying minutes, she thought she was going to fall. Her wings flailed wildly as they tried to remember how to fly. It took her falling a few feet before her wings caught her weight and lifted her again.

It was jerky at best and not at all her best start, but when she turned to see Mencheres beaming grin she felt like she had just accomplished something great. Giving a shaky bow, as tradition stated, she began to rise higher.

The longer she was in the air, the more came back to her. She began doing a set of spins and twirls, getting steadily more elaborate as her confidence grew. Mencheres wasted no time in joining, taking her hands and dancing with her in the sky. He dove and twisted around her body, carefully brushing her wings when they passed each other.

Kira's face was split in a giant grin as they spiraled and moved together, Mencheres easily matching her movements. It was almost an hour later when they touched down, Kira stumbling slightly on the landing, only to trip squarely into Mencheres arms.

If she had still been human she would have been breathless but as she didn't need to breath, she pulled Mencheres into a deep kiss. Her exuberance demanding an outlet and Mencheres was more than happy to provide one. When they pulled back, Kira's eyes shined pink with emotions she didn't want to hold back. She had never thought she would get to go on a flight with her mate after the damage to her wings, but she had never been happier to be wrong.

Curling into his side on the walk home, she kept her wings out and half draped over his shoulder. He had said on multiple occasions he enjoyed the feel of her feathers against his skin and there was no one out here to see them, so there was no reason not to indulge a little.

His tail flicked happily against her wings, brushing her waist every now and then as it stroked back and forth. It wasn't often when another person would go out of their way to learn their partners species courting rituals. Then again, Mencheres had always been in his own category.

Her thoughts turning to his feline heritage, Kira felt her curiosity grow as to what courtship rituals Mencheres had grown up with. They must have changed over the past four and a half millennia. "What kind of courting things do your people do? Has it changed much since you were human?"

Her genuine curiosity and consideration about his culture touched him, tightening his hold in affection as he answered. "While some things have changed, such as couples choosing to groom one another in public, most of the core principles are similar. When I was a human the most common form of courtship was the chase. When you were interested in a potential partner you would instigate a chase, if they caught you then the courting would proceed. After that, you bonded with grooming and similar activities."

Humming under her breath, Kira considered his words. "We have preening, which sounds like the same things as grooming. We just brush out each others feathers or oil them if you're feeling really adventurous. Oiling takes a long time thanks to how many feathers there are, but it feels divine afterwards. You already preen me whenever I sit still long enough, and I return the favor with your ears and tail."

Mencheres nodded, brushes his fingers playfully into her feathers to prove her point about his love of preening her. He was happy that those two courting practices were similar enough to carry over, it was relaxing to groom her wings.

They continued in silence, until Kira grinned impishly up at him as she pulled him to a stop a few hundred feet before they got to the house. Seeing her grin, Mencheres curiosity stoked only to change into pure exuberance in the next instant.

Thinking on his people's courting, Kira knew the perfect way to reassure him that she had no problem with them being different species. Wrapping her arms around him, she pulled him into a languid kiss as her feathers brushed his back. When she ended the kiss, she turned suddenly before he could get his bearings back and shouted over her shoulder. "Catch me if you can!"

Before his next blink, Kira had bolted back into the forest. Mencheres stared in shock momentarily, before an age old instinct sprang to the front. His mouth pulled into a grin as he took off after his wife, his emotions soaring as he raced behind her.

When he caught up with her, he pounced, pinning her to the ground in triumph over his catch. Lowering his head, he nipped her throat before dropping a line of kisses up to her mouth. Kira wrapped him into her arms, her wings bending forward to curl around him as well.

The blissful happiness from the bond made her glad she had chosen to start a chase, even though she knew getting the mud and twigs out of her feathers was going to be hell later.

Brushing the thought to the side, she pulled Mencheres down into another kiss. It wasn't that big of a deal. She had a husband who was more than happy to comb out her feathers for her again, after all.

_  
When they finally walked through the door hours later, after multiple more rounds of chase and various other activities, they were both coated in dirt and leaves. Kira had put her wings away, despite the discomfort that came from doing so while they had obstacles jammed into her feathers. Mencheres had offered to order everyone out of the house, but she had insisted it wasn't necessary.

Once in their room, Mencheres was quick to offer the shower since he knew how much the additional weight of the mud would weigh down her wings, therefore making the joints ache fiercely. He had originally offered a shared shower, but Kira knew that they wouldn't get anything done if she accepted.

So instead, she scrubbed the worst of the mud and leaves off of her while keeping her feathers in their hiding place. Wings were tricky to wash and even more so to dry. She would have to use a bowl of water and a brush to work the mud out.

Stepping out of the shower, the first thing that greeted her was Mencheres. He sat shirtless on the bed, the fur on his ears slicked back from his shower and his tail draped across his lap as he carefully ran a towel over it. He stopped drying to glance up at her, standing in the next instant to wrap her into his arms.

His wet fur tickled her where his tail wound around her stomach, a normal show of affection from him. Trailing her fingers up to his ears, she massaged her hands into his fur. His eyes slid shut in bliss as she started at the tips and worked her way down. He only opened them again when she had finished.

"Finished cleansing yourself, my adored?" The nickname rolled down her spine, sending shivers of pleasure through her. But his words brought a slight grimace to her mouth.

"Not really, wings are a pain to clean. I can't just scrub them in the shower, I have to use a bowl and brush to get all the feathers clean again." Mencheres frowned momentarily, he hadn't known how much work went into cleaning her wings. If he had, he wouldn't have tackled her into the dirt. A smile spread as he thought of an easy solution.

"Since it is my fault your wings are in such a state, it is only right I am the one to clean them. I will have someone buy some wing oil from town. By the time they are back with it, I should be done with brushing the mud out of your feathers." Kira glowed, her happiness obvious to anyone as she agreed.

"Only if I get to brush out your fur later, and your hair. I wasn't kidding about it being soft." Mencheres nuzzled her forehead happily as her fingers combed through the fur on his tail.

"I am more than happy to allow you to brush it to your heart's content. Until then, shall we find a brush and bowl?"


	20. Drowsy Affection

Really short chapter this time but the idea came and wouldn't leave! So here is a cute one for Vlad and Leila.

Vlad stretched stiff muscles as he breezed toward his and Leila's room. That trip had taken considerably longer than he had planned, complications turning what should have been a two day trip into a two week trip. Leila had offered to fly out, knowing that he didn't care for leaving her home without him anymore, but he had refused. Leila was capable of protecting herself and after he had gone back through and thoroughly vetted the people in his castle, he was confident there were no more wolves in sheep's clothing.

Also, with his oldest enemy dead, there were none of his enemies that vocally challenged him as of late and those that remained were no threat to him or Leila. It might be amusing to watch them try to take on his wife though.

He had begun personally training her after they had finally finished Szilagyi, at her request. While she was strong, he knew that she lacked formal training and skill. Once she also acknowledged that, she had wasted no time in going to him to receive it. While he didn't enjoy the times he accidentally injured her, memories of blackened flesh and a burning warehouse helped keep his fire firmly under control, he knew that it was necessary for her to improve.

And improve she had, in only a few months he had seen phenomenal improvements in her. If she continued at the pace she was currently traversing, she would be a force to be reckoned with within the year. Seeing her strategy, skill and strength improving by leaps and bounds made pride flare in his chest. It had also set his mind at ease, knowing that she was growing more powerful, for times such as the past two weeks when he had to leave her behind. There would be certain times when he couldn't bring her with him, so it was vital that she could be here without him.

Crossing the doorway to the lounge, he stopped short on his mission to join his wife, where he had previously assumed she was in bed. Walking over to the couch by the fire, his mouth pulled up into a smile. Leila's form was stretched out across it, her legs barely staying on the cushions, with her arms curled under her head. A blanket had been thrown over her, most likely by one of his people who had been passing through. She looked more comfortable than he would be on that couch, although he didn't know why she hadn't moved to their bed one room away.

Deciding to ask her later, he knelt in front of her and brushed her hair back from her face before cupping her cheek. She stirred slightly, the dawn that had only just broken still having a hold on her. Tired blue eyes opened, before recognition lit them. Her movements were sluggish as she went to rise, her words still heavy with sleep when she greeted him.

Chuckling to himself, he leaned forward into her arms when they lifted to wrap around him in greeting. In her tired state, he wouldn't be surprised if she fell off the couch while reaching for him. Rising to his feet, he slid his arms underneath her blanket wrapped form and lifted.

Leila didn't protest, proving just how tired she was, instead choosing to curl closer into his chest. Turning toward their room, he briskly breezed to the bed with the blanket ends trailing behind him. After he pulled the blankets back and placed her in, he wasted no time in stripping out of his clothes before sliding in alongside her.

Peeling the blanket off of her was more difficult with Leila still half asleep and resisting his attempts to remove it. Huffing in amusement, Vlad stroked a hand through her hair before speaking. "Darling, you need to let go of the blanket. You're making my goal of touching as much of your skin as possible more difficult than it needs to be."

Leila hummed as she considered his words, before relinquishing her grip. Apparently, his goal was worth more to her than the blanket, not that it surprised him in the slightest. His wife had always loved contact, the longer it lasted the happier she was. Throwing the blanket to the side and curling himself around her, he noticed her night shirt. It was one of his shirts, the one he had worn before he left to be exact.

"Why are you using that shirt? It can't possibly still smell like me after two weeks." The sight of her in his clothes was nothing new to him, as she preferred using his shirts as sleepwear than any other actual pajamas. Although usually she only did so when it still smelled like him, leading to his confusion now.

Her reply was muffled from where her face was pressed completely into his chest, but he made out. "Pillow still smells like you and your shirt is comfy." He shook his head in amusement, both at her words and her refusal to move her face from its place against his chest. He had offered to buy her shirts of the same fabric, but she still insisted on thieving his, not that he minded. Seeing her in his clothes would never be a sight he turned away.

Leaving that topic to rest, he wrapped his arms around her back before dozing off. The feel of his wife happily sleeping on his chest dropping him into the most comfortable rest he had in the past two weeks.


	21. Morning Rituals Request by MissLissa4

Prompt #16 Hope you like it MissLissa4!

Bones pulled a comb through his short hair as he glanced back at the bed. A wild head of red hair peaked out amongst the cocoon of blankets, announcing his wife's current location. If her hair didn't give it away, the snoring would have. Amusement flared through him, of all the women he could fall in love with he went for the half breed who snored.

Shaking his thoughts away, he moved to the bed before sitting next to her form. They had to be at Don's office in an hour, he would prefer to sit back and enjoy the sight of her for a bit longer but duty called. Carefully shaking her awake never worked and if he let her be woken up by that god awful sounding alarm then she would be in a foul mood for the morning. When she didn't respond to his careful prodding or his voice he decided on extreme measures. Wrapping his hands into her blanket cocoon, he grabbed a good hold before flipping her out of their warmth. A muffled shriek of surprise and the thud of her hitting the bed was drowned out by his laughter.

"You ass! Stop laughing at me, it wasn't like I was expecting you to do that in my sleep." Cat grumbled as she stood up, brushing imaginary lint off her shoulders.

Bones grinned as he pulled her into a kiss, she wasn't truly cross with him after all. They did this routine every morning when she was reluctant to wake. She melted into his arms, even a year later still astounded by the amount of emotions Bones could put into a kiss.

When he pulled back, she felt warm down to her toes which quickly fled at his next sentence. "We have to meet your uncle in an hour." Immediately she jumped into a blur of getting ready, stripping off Bones's shirt that she had used as a nightgown and jumping into the shower.

Bones shook his head, his Kitten was many things but an early riser was not one of them.  
_

Spade grimaced as the light peered into the room, glaring at the half closed curtain the staff must have forgotten to shut. Glancing at the clock, he sighed in resignation. It was about time to get up an about anyway. He would get up, but that didn't mean he had to like it. Sitting up, he stopped when Denise's arm around his waist hindered him from rising past a certain point.

Her hair was thrown out around her like a halo as she curled her face closer into his hip. The sight made him want to roll back over and go to sleep even more, but he had an important meeting that he couldn't put off today. Sighing internally, Spade dropped a kiss to her forehead. When her eyelids fluttered open, she smiled down at her. "I'm heading out soon, there is an important meeting to attend to but after that I'm all yours."

Denise hummed happily, sitting up to wrap her arms around him. They had started this tradition not long after they began dating, he would wake her with a kiss and she would give him a hug before sending him off. They both enjoyed it immensely. Watching Spade get ready, Denise considered whether or not she wanted to get up yet. Thinking on his promise of coming back after his meeting, she curled back into the blankets.

Spade smiled at the sight of her happily curled into a nest of blankets. He would be sure to finish the meeting quickly as to return to her side post haste. Placing another kiss on her head, he turned and headed out the door to start his day.

_  
Vlad stretched as much as he could with his wife wrapped around him. He was supposed to have been working an hour ago but he had put it off for the opportunity to enjoy some quiet relaxation time with Leila. It didn't surprise him in the slightest when she barely stirred, even before her turning into a vampire she hadn't been a morning person. That was one of the many things they had in common.

Unless he made a point of waking her, it was rare that she would rouse on her own. The tricky part was getting out of her hold without waking her on accident. It never failed, when they woke up they would be so intertwined with one another that it was difficult to see where one of them ended and the other began.

Today was no exception. Vlad shifted his limbs as he tried to remove himself from Leila's grip but she was not having it. He preferred not to wake her, but he couldn't stay in bed any longer today. Lowering his mouth to her jaw he trailed kisses up to her ear before breathing into it. "Good morning, my wife. As much as I enjoy being intertwined with you, I do need to start work today."

Leila scrunched her nose, but dragged herself to consciousness at his request. Opening ice blue eyes, she hummed curiously at him. Vlad's mouth twitched into a smile at her languid display. "I need to untangle our limbs, work calls." Leila huffed in acceptance, before scooting back enough for Vlad to carefully unwind himself from her. Dropping a kiss to her mouth, he swung his legs over the side of the bed.

As he got dressed, he saw Leila fighting to keep her eyes open. Walking over to her while buttoning his shirt, he stroked his hand through her hair before speaking. "You can go back to sleep darling, you don't need to be up until at least a few hours later."

Leila fought him for a minute, enjoying the sight of Vlad getting dressed, but her eyelids slid closed against her will a moment later. "Damn dawn…" Her voice was muffled against the sheets as she drifted off again. Vlad bit back another chuckle before moving to the bathroom for his comb.

While he still didn't enjoy mornings, waking up to Leila had made them more bearable. As he looked at his reflection in the mirror, an idea hit. His wife would love this when woke up and took her shower…

It was hours later when Leila dragged herself out of bed. There were days she doubted that Vlad was the worst in the mornings, at least he was functional, if grumpy. She always felt like a zombie until dawn let go of her. Shuffling her way to the shower, she snagged Vlad's discarded shirt from the night before and a pair of fresh pants from the closet.

The shower went a long way in waking her up, the warmth dragging alertness into her brain. When she got out and past the mirror she had to stop and do a double take. There were words covering the mirror, when the steam from the shower started it revealed them which was why she hadn't noticed them before. Her husband had been in an amorous mood, apparently. The words sending warmth shooting to every joint of her body better than water ever could.  
"_I shall see you when you wake, I love you my wife."_  
Grinning to herself, Leila walked out of the bathroom. She would have to let him know how much she appreciated that note later. Suddenly she didn't feel so exhausted anymore…

The alarm rang loudly, jolting Kira out of her sleep. Slamming her hand down before she could check her strength, the alarm clock buckled under her fist. Biting back a curse, Kira sat up and rubbed at her eyes. She had an hour until training, then she had to meet Tina in town for lunch. Throwing her legs off the side of the bed, she stopped when an invisible power pulled her back against a familiar chest.

Mencheres laid back against the pillows with Kira clasped to his chest. His eyes were still closed, announcing his sleeping state. Kira's mouth twitched in amusement, this wasn't the first time she had been pulled to a halt when trying to leave the bed and she doubted it would be the last. Turning in his arms, she traced his brow before running her thumb down to his lips. As much as she would like to stay here and lounge, she did have training today and she couldn't play hookie on that.

Leaning down, she licked the shell of his ear, grinning impishly when a shiver rolled through his frame. Breathing into his ear, she said "Mencheres, I have training so you need to let me get out of bed."

Black eyes opened to meet hers, "Or I could hold you captive and we could both have a much better afternoon." His voice thrummed with promise of what he would do and it was all Kira could do to make herself not react.

"Later. I have to go to training and then meet Tina, and you have to meet with Ian." He grimaced at the reminder. While he enjoyed the time with one he saw as his child, things had been tense lately thanks to Ian marrying Veritas. Seeing the tension in his brow, Kira dropped a kiss on the worry lines.

"If you weren't undead, you would have killer frown lines." Mencheres mouth twitched in amusement before blowing out a sigh of acceptance.

"You are right, as much as I wish to captivate your attention, there are things to get done." So saying, he pulled his power back, allowing her to move away from the bed.

Mencheres watched languidly from the bed as Kira went about her normal routine. When she went to leave he rose, stopping her before she could reach the door. Before Kira could blink, she was spun around and bent backwards with a kiss. When Mencheres finally pulled back minutes later, she was glad that she didn't need to breath. Smirking down at her, Mencheres gave one last quip before retreating to the bathroom for his own grooming. "That is to remind you of what is waiting once you're done."


	22. Wedding Bells Dark Pharaoh

Kira stared at her sister in shock, the cafe table between them seeming to be too great of a distance as she mentally went back over what she thought she heard. "You're getting married to Thomas?" Having to clarify, Kira felt dread when Tine nodded enthusiastically. She could understand why her sister was so excited, less than a year ago she thought she wouldn't live long enough to be married. And under other circumstances Kira would be ecstatic for her, but she still had one concern. Glancing at Mencheres to her right, they shared a look that spoke volumes. She wasn't the only one who felt like this situation was off, but the confirmation from her partner didn't bring her relief.

Seeing the worry Kira was refusing to voice and the shared glance, Tina reached across the table to grip her hand reassuringly. "I know I've only known him for a few months, but we really click. He's really nice to me and cares about me. I understand why you're worried and I appreciate it, but please just trust me on this okay?"

Kira bit her lip, something about this situation was setting all of her instincts off, but Tina didn't know about her feelings and she had no proof to back them up. Blowing out a sigh, she took the only route there was, "Alright, I will admit I'm a bit iffy about this but if this is what you want…"

Tina beamed, squeezing her sister's hands in excitement. "It is! I know you're uncomfortable with how quickly I'm moving with Thomas, but you and Mencheres have only been together a few months more than us. If he asked you, wouldn't you say yes?"

Kira stiffened in surprise at suddenly being put on the spot. She hadn't considered marriage since her divorce and what little she had heard of Mencheres ex-wife, she doubted he had either. Looking at him cautiously, their eyes met and Kira relaxed. There was no pressure in his stygian eyes, only a mild curiosity and internal consideration.

Seeing the look thrown between them, Tina's smile dropped. Realizing the sensitive subject she had accidentally brought up, she rushed to remedy the situation. "I'm sorry, I didn't even think. After your divorce and the situation with Pete it is completely understandable if you would never want to get married again. I didn't mean to put you on the spot like that."

Waving her hand, Kira brushed off her sister's babble. "It's fine, we're all adults here. Besides, Mencheres is nothing like Pete and he never will be. Even if we did disagree on something or want different things we would sit down and talk about it." Mencheres gripped her hand on the table to show his support while Tina calmed down from her flustered state.

Kira put the words together in her head knowing that her answer would be more for Mencheres than Tina. "I never considered it, because it doesn't seem necessary. We already act like a married couple and thanks to both my history with Pete and some of Mencheres own past problems I never thought about it as something that needed to be talked about right now."

"However, to answer your question. If he asked me, I would say yes without a doubt." While she was speaking to both of them, her eyes never left his. The intensity in their locked gaze felt suffocating, before Mencheres smiled. Stroking their linked hands, he spoke.

"I too hadn't considered marriage, however the reason had nothing to do with my ex-wife. We have time so why should we rush things? While I have no aversion to the thought of marrying you, I also don't see the need to, as the say, plan a LasVegas wedding. Should you ever wish to be wed, I would want to plan it down to the last detail and make the day as special as possible for you. It is considerably less worrying, knowing your answer ahead of time."

Kira bit back her tears at the sudden slam of emotions into hers, the love and devotion wrapping around her like a blanket. Tina's sniff broke them out of their moment, she dabbed at her eyes with the napkins while apologizing. "I didn't mean to break the moment. The relationship you two have is beautiful and I'm hoping that eventually Thomas and I will have it too."

Kira untangled her fingers from Mencheres to squeeze her sisters hand. "Someday you will Tina, if you and him are both on the same page and communicate then you two can reach that point too." Kira didn't mention that she and Mencheres had been through more than most couples ever would in their short time together. Her sister wasn't aware of Kira's kidnapping and it was better to keep it that way. Besides, it was nice to see her sister so excited, even if Kira's instincts were rioting.

"So when's the wedding and do you want me to hogtie Rick into walking you down the isle?" Kira's question had the intended effect of breaking the tension and changing the subject. Mencheres gave her a knowing glance as her sister laughed at the statement, giving him a miniscule shrug in return she focused on Tina again.

"No, I wasn't planning on having him walk me down the isle. I was actually going to ask you to." Kira stared confusedly for the second time in less than an hour, Tina flushed at her sister's thunder struck look.

"Well, it's just that as far back as I can remember you were my parent more than my sister, so it seemed only right for you to walk me down the isle?" Hearing her hesitance, Kira snapped out of it and beamed.

"Of course, I'll walk you down the isle! Just watch anyone try to stop me." Tina's worried gaze slid into an elated smile.

"Thank you, I appreciate it. Tom's brother is going to be the ring bearer, if he wasn't I would've asked you Mencheres." She seemed almost sheepish about it, but he set her at ease with a smile. All things considered, their first meeting was going well considering the bomb Tina had dropped.

"I am happy to come as Kira's plus one, if neither of you have objections?" Kira snorted at the same time Tina shook her head.

"There isn't any other person who I'd prefer to have by my side." Mencheres sent pulses of warmth through the bond, happily watching as Kira melted into her seat from shared bliss. He would never get tired of hearing her say such things, and he had resolved to show his appreciation each time.

Tina backed her sister's words up, once again breaking the atmosphere. "Yeah and I doubt that Kira would allow me to not invite you. You two are a package deal as far as she's concerned. So even if I didn't like you, which isn't the case because you seem nice, you would still be welcome."

Kira felt relief at her sister's verbal approval of Mencheres. She didn't know what she would have done if Tina hadn't approved, but it would have been painful. She felt an echoing sense of relief from Mencheres to her surprise. Murmuring low enough to not be heard by human ears, Kira prodded him curiously. "You're relieved?"

Without looking away from Tina, who had already begun to talk about decorations for the wedding, Mencheres answered in an equally low tone. "Of course, your sister is someone you cherish deeply. It would have hurt you and put serious strain on our relationship if she hadn't approved."

Warmth that was solely her own bloomed in Kira's chest, it was so like him to be worried about her and her feelings. Squeezing their joined hands, Kira tuned back in to her sister's excited rambling. "I was thinking of planning it for sometime in a few months. Tom and I don't want a big wedding, just the basics with the people we care about there to see it."

Kira jerked in surprise, "If you seriously want to do it that quickly then we need to start planning. Weddings are a lot of work, even small ones." Mencheres pitched in before they could begin discussing decorations and such. "Should you need help financially, I will happily cover the event. You could consider it a wedding gift from me." He tacked on the last sentence when he saw Tina's immediate refusal on her face.

Chewing her lip, just as her sister had done not long ago, Tina slowly nodded. "I would greatly appreciate it, but only if you're sure." Mencheres reaffirmed his agreement before leaning back to listen as the sisters began to plan. Watching Kira's face light up as they talked about flowers, rings and dresses pulled on something in his chest.

Maybe he would be proposing sooner than he had thought…

_

Mencheres looked around at the small church, adjusting his tux absentmindedly as he took everything in. The room was decorated with simple but elegant displays, flowers spaced evenly throughout the room with swaths of white fabric connecting them and forming the center isle.

The carpet leading to the altar had a dusting of petals and glitter on it, giving the path an enchanted feeling and the pews were full of various friends and family of the groom. None of them seemed particularly enthused to be there, he noted. Maybe they disapproved of how quickly the relationship progressed? His musings were broken when Kira entered with Tina, and the music began to play.

Kira had been by her sister's side since the start of the morning, thus meaning he hadn't seen what dress she had chosen for the evening. Kira wore a light gold sheath that hugged her curves before flaring out at the legs, giving her extra mobility as well as looking ravishing. He briefly had to remind himself that they were in a public setting and he needed to control his blood flow away from where it wanted to go. Neither Bones or Vlad would let him live it down if he failed and became obviously aroused in front of a crowd…

Mencheres eyes locked with Kira's as the church seemed to fade to nothing. Dimly he acknowledged that Tina looked lovely, but all of his focus was on Kira. The sight of her walking toward him, despite it not being their wedding, sent waves of emotion pulsing through him. In that instant as Kira handed her sister off to the black haired man who would be her husband, he knew that he would definitely be proposing soon. If his emotions became anymore tremulous he may propose the instant they were alone, no need to steal Tina's light on this special day after all.

Kira joined him off to the side now that her part was done. Feeling his eyes on her, she looked up curiously only for him to shake his head. Later, he reminded himself, as the pastor spoke the famous line. "You may now kiss the bride."

As Tina and her new groom sealed their marriage with a kiss, Mencheres stared into Kira's eyes. They were both imagining the day that they would hear that statement directed to them, when it would be them on that podium binding their lives together. To his shock, Mencheres even found himself excited at the thought of proposing for a vampire marriage as well. After Patra he had thought the idea of marriage to be forever ruined to him and yet here they stood.

The sound of clapping brought them both to the present, Tina's cheeks flushed with happiness as she moved to take her bouquet from her sister. "Kira, come on. I don't care if you're not single, you're not married yet and that means you can participate. I want you to be in the bridal toss." Kira gave a token protest as her sister grabbed her arm and pulled her to stand with the other ladies, shooting a silent call for help to Mencheres that he simply smiled at.

Mencheres bit back a laugh as Kira caught the bouquet only to stare at it as if it were a new species. Her head jerked up to stare at him and he knew that if she was still human her face would be red. Seeing her question, he shook his head. He hadn't used his power to make the flowers go to her. Glancing at the slyly smiling Tina, he had a hunch that it was her doing.

Kira came to the same conclusion as she smiled exasperatedly, the sound of Rick whistling in the background making her roll her eyes. Before Mencheres could return to Kira, Tina strode up to him.

"Are you participating in the garter toss? Kira did the bridal one, so it's only right that you do." Her tone was imploring, to his amusement. In all his years he had never taken part in a garter toss, to be fair the last two millennia he was married and therefore not qualified, but it was still a new experience for him. Smiling down at her, he nodded. Briefly shooting Kira a glance as her sister pulled him by the arm to where the other males were. All of them seemed disgruntled, unlike their female counterparts previous excitement.

He watched as the garter came sailing through the air, half of the men present lunging away from it making him restrain a snort. Childish antics. He stretched his power out and guided it to his outstretched hand. It wouldn't have been obvious to anyone who was watching, but he saw Kira's raised eyebrow and smiled.

"This time it was me." Kira burst out laughing, the sides of her mouth pulling into a massive grin. Her joy was infectious as he wrapped his arms around her.

"The tradition is for those who catch the garter and bouquet to be the next to marry, correct?" Kira hummed against him as he pulled her into a dance, the music just beginning to play in the background.

"Well, we wouldn't want to disrespect such a tradition would we?" Kira's face snapped around to look at him in wonder. "I'll propose properly later, I have no wish to steal your sister's light. I don't have a ring and I didn't plan to do this now, but your sister seems to have opened the opportunity for me. It would be rude to waste such a kindness."

Kira shook off her shock and beamed at him, her smile brighter than he had ever seen. "You're right. We'll tell her later and it doesn't matter if you don't have a ring. It's nicer to go together to pick it out anyway. Besides, it's not like there was any chance I would say anything but yes."

Mencheres sealed their promise with a kiss, already yearning for the next promise they would make in such a way. Soon, he promised himself, very soon.


	23. New Story Alert

Hey guys! Not a new chapter but I wanted to update you guys on a project that I've been working on. After rereading the Night Prince Series, I decided Maximus needed some love. So, I will be starting an entire new series called Growing Pains for a Maximus x OC pairing. If you don't like OCs then that's fine but don't send hate over it either. My drabble series is more than enough to keep you busy. If you have any suggestions, comments or requests feel free to speak up.


	24. Vlad and Leila Dragobete

Valentine's Day - Dragobete February 24th Romanian Valentine's Day.

Hey guys! In honor of Valentines Day, I decided to do a Vlad/Leila oneshot featuring the Romanian Valentine's Day called Dragobete. I researched their customs and like how this turned out. Drop a review if you have ideas or opinions.

Leila stopped short as another pair of staff members made themselves look busy, as if she hadn't heard them whispering to one another before she turned the corner. This had been going on for a week now and for the life of her, Leila could not figure out what the big deal was. She and Vlad weren't fighting and they hadn't even snapped at one another recently. The staff weren't cold, like they were after the first and only time she broke it off with him. They seemed almost...excited, but then why would they make a point of stopping the conversation when she entered the room?

Was Vlad planning something and they weren't supposed to let on that there was anything out of the ordinary? If so, they were failing miserably.

The confusion plagued her until hours later when yet another pair of staff went quiet after she exited the gym. Having enough of the secrecy, Leila approached the women who now watched her nervously. "Hello, is something going on lately? Everyone seems really excited." She tried her best to keep any irritation out of her voice, for all she knew this could be some big misunderstanding and it would be embarrassing if she snapped at someone over it and it was then shown to be nothing serious.

The younger of the two nudged her older friend forward, the elder sending an exasperated look over her shoulder before answering the question. "We should have realised you wouldn't know ma'am. On February 24th is Dragobete and all the ladies with partners are atwitter with excitement for it."

Leila blinked, her confusion intensifying as she tried to remember if anyone had mentioned what Dragobete was. The elderly maid caught her confused look and rushed to explain further.

"We keep forgetting that you are from America, so you don't know our customs yet. Dragobete is the Romanian equivalent to Valentine's Day in your culture." The two women shared a smile while it all clicked into place for Leila. She was glad she hadn't overreacted now.

She hadn't thought about Romania having its own version of Valentine's Day, she had just assumed it was on February 14th like it was in the States. Truthfully, she hadn't even given the holiday a thought since coming to Romania.

Before she met Vlad it had been a depressing reminder of what she thought she would never have. Despite being married to Vlad now, she hadn't thought about celebrating Valentine's with him. Would he even want to celebrate this Dragobete?

Even if he did, she doubted he would care enough about the American equivalent to want to celebrate Valentine's Day. Her husband was many things, romantic generally wasn't one of them. He could be when he wanted to, but it was rare he was in the mood for it.

Shaking off the flash of melancholy, Leila focused on the ladies when they both turned to her in unison. "So what kind of flowers are you going to pick for the voivode?" The younger one had finally come out from behind her friend, she was practically bouncing on her toes in excitement to hear Leila's answer.

Giving them another bewildered look, Leila answered hesitantly. "I don't think Vlad would like flowers…"

The older woman lightly thumped her younger friend on the head, "Lisa, the voivode's wife doesn't know about our traditions yet. You have to explain them before asking such things or she won't know what you are speaking of."

The younger, now dubbed Lisa, dropped her head in embarrassment at her slip up. She recovered quickly though, her enthusiasm showing as she gushed about what seemed to be her favorite holiday. "I'm sorry about that ma'am. On other days of the year the voivode may very well not appreciate a gift of flowers, but it is different during Dragobete. During Dragobete it is tradition for couples to go out and pick spring flowers for their partners. After they exchange them, they celebrate with parties in the towns. Those who don't celebrate are doomed to a bad relationship, or so the myths say. Some of the older generation believe it, but most are just happy with a reason to dance with their lovers." She ended her sentence on a dreamy sigh, her eyes going far off as she thought on her own beau.

Her friend sighed, shaking her head in exasperation but Leila could see the fond smile pulling at her mouth. The lady turned to Leila and addressed her. "Excuse my daughter, she has recently become engaged to her _iubi_ and is still in the honeymoon phase." Lisa flushed, snapping out of her stupor but didn't dispute her mother's statement.

Leila smiled and waved her hand dismissively, "It's no big deal, there's nothing wrong with enjoying the thought of a loved one." Lisa nodded enthusiastically while her mother smiled, humming her agreement.

Remembering her original question, Lisa refocused on Leila. "So what kind of flowers will you be getting the voivode? There are thousands to choose from in the fields."

Leila shrugged, "I don't know. I haven't seen what options there are so I'll probably just go and see which ones make me think of him." She hadn't meant to sound romantic, but going by Lisa's enamored sigh, it had come across that way without her meaning it to. The smitten look painted itself over Lisa's features again, pulling a wary chuckle from her mother. "This girl…" Her words would seem irritated to anyone who heard them, but her tone carried all of the affection and love she held for her daughter. The sound of it pulled on Leila's heart, the memories of her own mother faded but cherished all the same.

Not wanting them to see her sudden emotional state, Leila smiled and bid them farewell. After she was alone in her and Vlad's room she sat down and thought on the new information she had.

So now she had a plan to go out and pick flowers for her husband, the one known as The Impaler, who put people on spikes in his front yard when they displeased him. A familiar unease settled in her chest as she considered all the ways her tentative plan could go wrong. Just because it was a Romanian holiday doesn't mean that Vlad would want to celebrate it, for all she knew he could think it was childish. After his disaster of a birthday, she wasn't sure she wanted to risk another verbal filleting anytime soon.

A small voice inside her reminded her that the only reason he had lashed out then had been the bad memories associated with it, he had even made a point of telling her later that he had no problem with the party itself. Just the date she had held it on. But the fear stuck tightly throughout the day. She couldn't get her mind off of the upcoming holiday or her plan for it.

Her off mood didn't go unnoticed, although instead of Vlad being the one to call her on it, as she dreaded, it was Gretchen. Her sister stood in front of her with a look of determination and one hand on her hip. "So what has you so distracted today?"

Leila eyed Gretchen warily, should she risk telling her sister? She wouldn't put it past Gretchen to blab about it to Vlad or anyone else in hearing range. Seeing the expectant look leveled at her, Leila made her decision.

"I'm just thinking of doing something romantic for Vlad, but I'm not sure how receptive he'll be." Just this once, she would trust her sister. If Gretchen did bring it to Vlad then she would never trust her with this kind of thing again.

Instead of irritation or disgust, as Leila half expected, Gretchen's expression softened. "His tearing into you before really FUBARed your confidence didn't it?"

A grimace twisted Leila's mouth, her dressing down and failure of a party had made the rounds almost immediately. The staff gossiped worse than old ladies, so it took no time at all before everyone knew. To her surprise, the same staff members that had been icy cold to her after her break up with Vlad had then been sympathetic. Now that her taste buds had evened out from turning, they had wasted no time in plying her with her favorite chocolate when Vlad had finally let her out of his arms.

The change in behavior had startled her, but before she could become too touched by their support she had reminded herself that they had been just as friendly to her before the sudden backstab too. It hurt that she couldn't trust them enough to like them anymore, but it would take time to not constantly question if their friendship was fake or not. Time which she now had in abundance, she reminded herself. Which meant there was time to think on this later and focus on her sister now.

"Yeah…" She wasn't sure what else to say. Gretchen was perceptive when she chose to be and this was one of the times she chose.

Arms wrapped around her in the next second, startling her before her sister's natural ocean scent hit her nose. It took her a second to process her sister's sudden hug, but she slowly returned it. They had been working on their relationship lately, but Leila hadn't thought she would get a hug out of her sister for a long time yet. It was a pleasant surprise.

When Gretchen pulled back, she swiped at her eyes quickly before speaking again. "Honestly, I think he'd be cool with anything you did. No one told me the details of what happened last time, but it sounded like there was special circumstances. If you do plan something for him, I think he'd love it."

Gretchen's reassurance went a long way in settling her nerves, and a laugh choked out of Leila at her next statement.

"And if he doesn't then we go shopping, binge ice cream, and vent about how much of an asshole your husband is." Her laugh brought a smile to Gretchen's lips before she pulled her into another hug.

"Well, I have a date, but if there's anything I can do to help let me know. Oh and if you're still worried about his reaction, you could just make it optional for him. Tell him what you're going to be doing and ask ahead of time if he wants to participate or not." Before Leila could comment, her sister breezed out the door again.

Shaking her head at her flighty sister, Leila considered her advice. She had a little over two weeks to figure out what she wanted to do for Dragobete, and she would need every minute of that time to fine tune whatever plan she came up with.

February 14th rolled around and Leila had a tentative plan in place, now all that was left was to use the next ten days to get everything ready. She had originally planned to get flowers and give them to him, but after some thought she had decided if she was going to do it, she would do it big. She would ask a staff member to bring a note to Vlad before she set her plan in action, if he decided to opt out of the more childish portion of the evening it still left the surprise she had planned for him which she knew he would like. And this time she was determined that he would actually get to enjoy it with her.

She was broken out of her thoughts when her husband himself walked into the room, thankfully she had already put away the evidence of her plotting.

Vlad sat himself down next to her on the couch, his hand flicking the open book on her lap closed before placing it to the side with the bookmark in it. Now that he had her undivided attention, he pulled her into a kiss that had her toes curling in her boots.

While she enjoyed his out of nowhere affectionate mood, it confused her. Generally he had a reason behind a sudden kiss attack. Narrowing her eyes playfully, she rested her head against his shoulder before she continued.

"Well someone is especially affectionate today, did I forget our anniversary? I could have _sworn _it was still a few months away." Her words had an undercurrent of humor, the tone making his lips quirk in amusement before parting to answer her.

"Am I not allowed to show my _wife_ any affection?" He dropped his mouth to her neck, trailing light kisses across her shoulders. The warm brush of his lips sent shivers through her body, her blood heating up on instinct as his mouth traced the vein in her throat.

When she finally pushed words past her rising arousal, her voice was breathy. "Oh there isn't anything you're not _allowed _to do and you know it. But usually if you're this affectionate there is a motivating factor in it."

Vlad planted another kiss on her mouth, before pulling back to smile at her. "In this case you are correct, there is a reason for my actions. Today is Valentine's Day, I was unsure if you expected to celebrate it or not so I made sure to keep the day clear of work. If you don't celebrate it, we could still enjoy the day together." He stood up as he spoke, coming to stand in front of her. Before she could tell him that she would never turn down a day with him, no matter what day of the year it was, he pulled something from behind his back.

Her breath pushed out of her at the beautiful flowers he presented to her. The petals felt divine against her fingers and the scent was lovely without being overpowering. She said her thanks while trying to place why these flowers looked so familiar. Vlad answered that question in his next statement.

"I thought you liked these flowers in particular when we were walking in the indoor garden. So I picked them. I also had the gardeners plant more of them, so by next year there should be plenty more for you to enjoy."

Leila felt touched that he would do something so sweet, wrapping her arms around his shoulders with the flowers in one hand, she pulled him into a hug. Her thanks was lost against his shoulder, but his answering rumble assured her that he heard it.

His body heat seeped into her, relaxing her in his embrace until she felt like she was melding with him. When they pulled back, she looked around for something to put the flowers in.

"We can have a vase brought up from the kitchen for them. For now, leave them on the table and the staff can take care of them." She nodded, gently placing them on the table before returning her attention to him. He hadn't told her about Dragobete or the meaning behind 'him' being the one to pick the flowers. It furthered her determination to go through with her plan. He had done something sweet for her for Valentine's so he couldn't deny her the same right for Dragobete.

In the meantime though… Reaching over to grab one of the petals that had fallen off, she twirled it in her fingers. The silky smooth surface feeling delightful on her skin. Raising her hand, she traced the petal across his cheek, before running it down his chest. "I can think of a few things to do with this petal, if you really don't have any work today."

HIs eyes went green almost instantly, his mouth curling into his devilish smile before he scooped her legs out from under her. "I do indeed have no work, and I love the way you think, my lovely wife."

February 24th dawned bright and early. If Leila hadn't already known about it being a holiday she never would have guessed. Vlad gave no indication that there was anything out of the ordinary. He woke up, gave her a kiss and headed out for work as he always did.

Doubts bit at Leila's mind, if Vlad had wanted to celebrate it wouldn't he have mentioned it? Does that mean he didn't want to celebrate it or maybe he just didn't want to make a big thing about it? The questions just kept coming, sending her nerves into overdrive as the nagging little voice lept on the chance given.

_Did you not learn from his Birthday? If he wants to celebrate he'll tell you. He isn't shy about what he wants, and this is no different. You're going to make a fool of yourself again and he's going to think it's stupid._

Leila ground her teeth as she tried to shake off the voice. Just because it had been right last time, didn't mean that it was now. She already had a plan in place and she was _going _to go through with it. If Vlad didn't want to participate in it then he would opt out at the start. She had planned for that too, so there was no reason to panic over it now.

Moving from the bed, she started to get ready for the day. If she stayed still any longer she was going to bin the whole thing out of nerves and she was determined to not let herself do that.

Once dressed, she headed toward the human's housing to meet up with Sandra. They were going together to pick flowers, but Vlad was under the impression they were going shopping to keep Leila's surprise a secret.

Taking a deep unnecessary breath, she smiled at Sandra while hoping it wasn't too obvious how nervous she was. As if in answer to her hopes, Sandra smiled reassuringly, "No worries Leila, the voivode will love it."

If she was still human she'd be flushing bright red, was it that obvious? Her thoughts were broken by Sandra grabbing her gloved hand and tugging her toward the car. "Come on, we need to go if we want to get to the shops in time."

Her shopping excuse she had told Vlad wasn't a total lie, the last part of her plan would need something she had special ordered and now had to pick up. Her nerves didn't start up at the thought of _that_ part of the surprise. Not that it shocked her, the last part of the surprise was the only part she knew without a doubt Vlad would like. Sandra tugged on her arm to break her out of her thoughts again. Leila smiled in gratitude before focusing on her task, she was going to do this, no matter how Vlad reacted she could at least say she tried.

Vlad looked up as Sandra entered his office with a small smile on her face. He was surprised to see her, he was sure that with today being Dragobete she would have been out with her intended. Giving her his attention, he spoke. "Sandra, is there a problem?" Her smile certainly didn't make it seem like there was, but why else would she be in his office today of all days?

As he expected, she shook her head in the negative. "No voivode, no problem. I'm just doing a favor for your wife." Her smile had stretched into a grin, excitement coming off of her in waves, but her thoughts gave nothing away.

Vlad's concern disappeared to be replaced with confusion. What was his wife up to? Raising an eyebrow, he inquired. "Oh? And what does Leila need that she wouldn't come to me herself?" His wife loved stopping by to distract him in his work, not that he minded terribly, but that made her sending Sandra suspicious.

Sandra walked forward and held out a folded note with a pink rose. "She has a game of sorts set for you, but she said if you would prefer to skip the games I can tell you where she is. She has a surprise for Dragobete for you."

Vlad's curiosity immediately flared as his suspicions lowered. He hadn't thought Leila knew what Dragobete was, what with her lack of reaction this morning. He had briefly considered alerting her, but after their celebration on Valentine's Day he had considered the matter closed. She had certainly given him a show of her love then, so he had seen no reason to bring up the Romanian day for lovers.

Apparently she had decided to plan something for him after learning about it on her own. The thought sent warmth through him that had nothing to do with his heightened body temperature. After his birthday he had been worried she wouldn't try again, but here she was a few months later. It was relieving, to say the least.

He had a hunch what her _surprise_ was, memories of the candles and flower petals she had attempted to set up before flashed in his mind. While the thought made him want to head to their room immediately, the mention of a game intrigued him. He would still have his surprise afterwards, and Leila put effort into this. The least he could do was play along.

Refocusing on Sandra who was patiently waiting for his response, he took the flower and the note from her with a shake of his head. "I'll play her game, there's nothing wrong with enjoying an evening that my wife has set. Now then, what is this game?" Sandra beamed at him, nodding enthusiastically before explaining the rules.

"It's a scavenger hunt. I was to give you the note and flower, the note is double sided with a hint to where the next note is and another flower. After you find the last note it will tell you where she is." So saying, she bowed before leaving to enjoy her Dragobete.

Once alone, Vlad traced the pink rose petals gingerly before reading the note. Leila's familiar scrawl wrote out, _I admired you from the start, your strength and fortitude called to me immediately. I will never be more grateful for anything than the fact that we met. _

A smile curved his lips at the sweet words. Apparently this would be a very personal scavenger hunt, he felt no surprise at that. His wife preferred sentiment over everything else so it made sense that the surprise she made for him would be rife with it.

Turning the note over, he read the hint. _Where we shared our almost first kiss_. His smile pulled into a grin, how like her. Making the hints have to do with the various places their relationship progressed.

He considered the hint, he remembered where he had kissed her the first time. It had been after he had saved her from the club fire and he had moved her to the room by his. But what was their _almost_ first kiss? It clicked as he remembered the day she hemorrhaged in the gym. It had been the first time he had given her his blood. When she had slid her tongue against his skin the second time to taste him without his blood it had been all he could do to not pin her to the nearest wall and have his way with her. He had settled for tasting her, but before they kissed Maximus had interrupted.

With a quick turn, Vlad moved toward the gym. The thrill of the game running through his veins as he started his hunt. He had always enjoyed puzzles, and Leila knew that. It was most likely why she had chosen this form of surprise for him, she knew he would enjoy it.

Once he entered the gym, the flash of yellow immediately caught his attention. Another rose was tied to the rope she always exercised on alongside his next hint. Carefully untying it, he read. _Most people have to search their whole lives to find a true friend, I'm lucky enough to have married mine. _The words sent affection through him. While he generally didn't bother with pretty words, his wife excelled in them. He never tired of hearing such things and he would be sure to save the notes after her game was finished.

It also hadn't escaped his notice that each of the flower's meanings corresponded with the topic of the note. Pink for admiration and gratitude, and yellow for friendship. He couldn't wait to see what else she had up her sleeve.

Turning the note over her considered his next hint. _The first time I proved my love to you after you claimed I couldn't love you._

Confusion briefly spattered through his mind, she had proven she loved him quite a few times but how would he know which was the first? It had to be something in the castle… As he reread the last half of the message it clicked. After he had told her she couldn't love him. That was after he had retrieved her from the boat after she had broken up with him. She had psychically connected to the various artifacts in his weaponry room to see for herself who he was. Nothing revealed such a thing better than reliving his choices and actions through psychic link.

The memory brought a grimace to his mouth even as he turned toward the armory. He had never expected her to go to such lengths to prove him wrong, but he couldn't regret her actions. There was no telling what would have happened had she not done so. Her near death had been what had made him realize the full extent of his feelings for her. They might not be in their current wedded state if she hadn't taken that action.

He shook his thoughts off when he entered the armory and his next hint lay perched on a familiar shield. The red rose looked both at odds and somehow fitting with the ancient shield. He had still been human the last time that he used it, the memory of the arrows raining down still fresh in his mind and his exhilaration after he had survived yet another volley of attacks.

Picking up the note and the rose, he read. _I loved you even when it hurt to do so, but nothing made me happier than hearing you say it back. _The reminder of his initial refusal to love her made a spear of remorse cleave through his contentment before he focused on the game again. He had long since proven his love for her time and time again, and he would spend the rest of their lives continuing to prove it.

The hint was considerably easier to understand this time, _Almost done now, the place where we first bound ourselves together. _It could only mean their wedding, which had been held in the main hall of the castle.

The statement about being almost done sent a thrill through him, until it settled as a low heat in his stomach. If his hunch was correct, he would enjoy the ending just as much as his current activity.

It was a short walk from the armory to the main hall and the brilliant orange rose immediately caught his eye, sending desire through his blood and confirming his previous hunch. The red rose stood for love and the orange rose stood for desire.

Bending to pick up the rose and note, he dimly noticed his eyes flaring green as he read. _It never ceases to amaze me how you light me up with desire with the simplest actions. I'll thoroughly enjoy returning the favor over the next few centuries. _

He couldn't wait to see what those centuries held. If he had a say in it, and he was determined that he would, the years would hold passion and love in equal parts for as long as they both shall live. Excitement spread through him as he turned over the final hint. _I'm waiting for you, come and get me._

As if there were any doubts about where she was. He moved in a blur, his legs carrying him to where he instinctively knew Leila waited. The doors to their room had never looked more inviting. He stopped long enough to put the flowers and notes on the table in the lounge before pushing open the doors.

*From here on there be SMUT*

Leila laid reclined on the bed, which wasn't anything new as Vlad knew how much she enjoyed the feel of the sheets, but what was different and what made his eyes start shooting green sparks was what she was wearing. Nothing. Well, nothing except a long red ribbon that tied into a bow around her neck before leaving the ends to trail down her chest.

He could faintly smell her nerves but they didn't show on her face. A lopsided grin painted her mouth as she raised an eye at his frozen form in the doorway. Her voice had a teasing lilt when she spoke. "So are you going to come unwrap me or do I need to do that myself?"

In the next second he was across the room, kneeling on the bed, with both his hands buried into her hair. Their mouths met in a heated clash of teeth and tongue, no battle for dominance, but a sensual dance that they needed no music for.

Vlad pulled away long enough to rip off his own clothes, not caring as the fabric scraps fell to the ground behind him, before his hand trailed to the bow that sat neatly against Leila's throat. The fabric was soft to the touch, but when he tried to rip it he arched a brow in intrigue.

Leila spoke up, answering his question before he could speak it. "I thought you might enjoy the chance to tie me up, since I thoroughly enjoyed doing so to you before. So I special ordered the ribbon to be made out of the same fabric as the ties you used on me."

Intrigue melted into dizzying passion, a feral grin pulling on his lips. "I will enjoy this present thoroughly, I assure you."

He trailed his fingers up the trails to the bow before untying it, his eyes never leaving hers as he did. Once he held the long ribbon in his hand, he slid his free hand up to cradle her side. Guiding her backward, he leaned her against the headboard where he had been mere months ago.

The memory of how exquisit that experience had felt, the sight of Leila crouched over him with equal parts lust and love in her gaze, her tongue gliding across his chest to collect every last drop of blood she had drawn onto him, sent pure heat straight to his groin.

He would enjoy nothing more than to give Leila that same torturous pleasure. Taking her hand, he laid it against her side before repeating the process with her other hand. Wrapping the ribbon around her chest, he made quick work of tying her arms securely to her sides while leaving the lower arm and fingers able to freely move as they wished.

Sitting back on his haunches, he took in the sight of his bound wife with pleasure. She watched him with an equal amount of arousal in her icy blue gaze, but made no motion to hurry him along. Instead she purred, "Not going to go for a blood bag?"

Vlad gripped her hair and pulled her head back, his mouth leaving burning kisses along her neck before connecting their mouths. "Not this time, but maybe later." So saying, he grabbed the end of the ribbon and flicked it sensually against her nipple. The motion pulling a harsh gasp from under him, "You've given me a wonderful tool to use, it would be rude to not include it in our activities to the fullest extent."

Leila's agreement was cut off by another breathy gasp, Vlad grinning devilishly as he idly flipped the ribbon over her other nipple before lowering his mouth to it. His teeth barely scraped the skin before her body shuddered underneath him. Her fingers gripped his ribs, urging him on. Ignoring that urging, he nipped the other nipple, enjoying her body quaking beneath him.

Once his venom had a chance to make its way through her chest, he slid the ribbon behind her back before tying to securely across breasts with the ribbon between them. Just tight enough to put constant pressure on the area he had bitten without causing discomfort. Her lower half ground up into his hip to showcase her enjoyment of the action until he pressed her back down into the bed.

"I'll drag this out later, I want you now." He brought his hands to her thighs before lifting them. Her brief flash of confusion fading into desire when he moved forward and rested her legs against his sides. Sliding his hands up her back, he shifted her to sit on the headboard's edge while resting back against the wall above it. His voice was a base growl against her leg, "Wrap your legs around me and be sure you have a good grip."

She wasted no time in following his command, her legs lifting to wrap around the points of his hips before tightening just enough to tug him closer to her. Once she was correctly positioned, Vlad lifted her weight and pressed her flat with his arms acting as a buffer. After a moment of consideration, he braced his arm behind her body and lifted her further up the wall until he was standing with one knee braced on the headboard. Freeing one hand, he reached down to grasp himself, guiding his length to her center before resting there with his tip pressing against the entrance. When he looked as if he were going to do no more, Leila tightened her legs and yanked him forward.

A strangled hiss came from him as he sank into her, the welcome tightness sending bolts of electricity through him as the new angle pushed him deeper.

Leila's eyes rolled back as he pressed ever further, his length pressing against all the right places as he hilted himself. The feel of him filling her completely sent a sound too wild to be a moan from her. The noise sending shockwaves up his spine.

"Leila, open your eyes and keep my gaze." Blue immediately met copper, the irises blown wide with green quickly overtaking them. A grin twisted Vlad's mouth as he adjusted his grip on her body, "Good."

That was the only warning she got before he pulled almost all the way out and plowed back in. Her back would have arched if he hadn't pressed her flatly against the wall before establishing his pace. Not quick enough to be painful, but just fast enough to make the headboard under them rattle into the wall.

His hips moved in a blur as he plunged deeper inside of her, the tight channel gripping him everytime he stroked inward. Gasps and moans cut off from her as he used her thighs as leverage to yank her forward to meet his every thrust, her thighs shifting to cradle his head as she climbed closer to her climax. Feeling the telltale tightening and pulsing, he sped up until each thrust slid her body up the wall an inch or two before dragging her off of him.

The tight cavern gripped him as if it were trying to stop him from leaving, the feeling pulling a hiss from him as he stopped trying to pull all the way out. Instead choosing to give shorter but faster thrusts, twisting his hip until he ground against her clit with every movement.

The new pressure was her undoing, with a choked scream Leila threw her head back and yanked Vlad against her. Her fingers left welts against his sides but held him in place while sending cascades of electricity into him.

Her tight and vibrating channel dragged him to his own orgasm, with a final thrust he buried himself deeply before ecstacy ripped through him.

Wrapping her into his arms, he laid her back down onto the silk sheets. Vlad shifted himself out from between her legs before pulling out. He wasted no time in untying the ribbon, moving it to the side for later use.

*SMUT ends here*

Nimble fingers immediately combed through his hair, curling the strands around her fingers before pulling him down for a kiss. The frenzied passion from before melting into a slower, all encompassing love that was portrayed with every brush of her mouth.

Vlad soaked it all in as he returned it with his own, sending his devotion and gratitude down the bond for her to feel as well. A sigh of pure bliss left her, his feelings coming through loud and clear. Separating reluctantly, Leila nuzzled against his neck as they both relaxed from their respective highs.

One content eye opened to meet his own as a smile curled her lips. "So how did you like your surprise?"

Vlad wrapped his arm around her back and pulled her to lay against him, shifting their positions until he was underneath her lounging form. Her head rested on his chest with her chin tilted up to talk to him.

He slid a kiss across her forehead, sending his gratitude and love as he spoke. "I loved all of it. I was unaware you knew what Dragobete was, but I am pleasantly surprised by what you came up with."

Leila threw him a grin of triumph, but underneath that happiness he caught a whiff of relief. Suddenly reminded of her previous nerves he had scented, he tightened his arms around her to form a cradle against his chest. "I especially enjoyed the notes. I may not excel in pretty words but you my darling, are adept with them."

Usually he didn't flatter her so plainly, but he knew that the sentimental portion of her surprise would be where the worst of her nerves were centered around. If all it took to boost her confidence was a few, truthful words then he was more than happy to speak them. With any luck now that she had some success in these matters she wouldn't hesitate to try again in the future.

Leila curled closer into his throat, sending amusement through him at her immediate response to being complimented. If she were still human he knew that she would be bright red, but her scent announced her embarrassment just as well.

Not commenting on her choice of hiding place, Vlad stroked his fingers through her hair as he considered the notes she had made. She had done her best to make his Dragobete the best it could be, now it was his turn to return the favor.

"Leila, since it is Dragobete and we appear to be celebrating it would you care to go into town when the celebrations start?" She picked her head up to look at him in surprise.

"That sounds nice, but I have no idea what all happens. What kind of celebration is it?" Curiosity and excitement sparked in her eyes, pulling a smile from him.

Vlad knew that would get her attention, "There will be games, music and food in various booths around the town. I will leave the choice of what we do up to you, as this will be your first time enjoying a Romanian holiday. I haven't participated in the Dragobete celebration before, but I have hosted the party more times than I can remember."

Confusion tempered Leila's curiosity, "Why didn't you participate? Everyone made it sound like it was a really important holiday to you and your people."

Vlad's smile hardened, but his fingers never stopped stroking against her back. "Dragobete is a holiday for love, and as you know I never loved any of the women I had previously bedded. They were all greatly disappointed when I refused to celebrate with them. It is also why I made a point of playing your game. Even if I hadn't wanted to, which isn't the case, I still would have because rejecting your actions on Dragobete is similar to rejecting you."

Warmth rolled through Leila at his words, but one thought stuck out until she hesitantly asked it. "What about when you and Clara were married?" Vlad glanced down at her, wary until he realized she was just curious.

A gusty sigh breezed from him, "When Clara was alive a majority of my time was spent trying to keep our country from being overtaken. The one time she inquired about going out to celebrate during Dragobete I refused. I told her that I was the Prince, therefore it would be seen as childish for me to be celebrating when I could be strategizing."

His remorse over his cold actions rang through his words, making Leila drop a kiss to his chest. "What changed your mind now? You're still the Prince, after all."

Vlad squeezed her side in return for the kiss, "Every year after her death I watched couples dancing during Dragobete and enjoying themselves while imagining that it could have been us, had I not refused her. I regretted not going with her when she asked, the missed opportunity burning me for years. When I married you I fully planned on not making the same mistake again."

Leila kissed him, she couldn't change anything of what had happened and if she was being honest she wouldn't even if she could. Instead of thinking on the impossible, she did what she could do. "I know it's selfish, but I'm glad I got to be your first in this. Everything else we do you're old enough to have done already multiple times over. It's nice to not be the only one going through something for the first time."

Vlad's mouth quirked as the remorse faded, "It's not selfish anymore than my own happiness at being the one to take your virginity was. There is pleasure in knowing you are the only one to experience something with your loved one and it's nothing shameful."

Shaking the thoughts off, he pressed her closer into his chest. "Rest now, Leila. We will go to town soon and join the celebration."

Vlad and Leila walked the town's main road arm in arm, Leila keeping her hand firmly in Vlad's to not cause an accident with the packed crowds around them. The street was lined from one end to the other in booths selling food, toys, games, clothes and anything else someone could imagine.

Leila looked at all of it in wonder, the vibrant colors almost hurting her eyes as she tried to look everywhere at once. Vlad's chuckle made embarrassment flush through her at her childish behavior, but before she could apologize, Vlad tugged her closer for a kiss.

When he pulled back, he grinned down at her. "It is nice to see you so exuberant, our relationship has been turbulent from the start but memories such as this I will cherish in the coming years." If Leila could flush she'd be bright red at his words, instead she curled closer into his arms in agreement.

Curiosity ate at her as they passed yet another booth with dragon memorophilia. "How come most of the booths have a dragon theme? Dragons are cool and all, but it seems to be a must for each booth to have at least one thing that looks like a dragon."

Vlad's mouth quirked, "That would be because my family's symbol is the dragon. It is a nod of respect for them to have something with that symbol at each of their booths. Although some incorporate it into more of their products."

A humm came from Leila, she glanced around at the variety of goods only to almost trip to a stop when her eyes landed on one of the smaller booths. A laugh choked out of her as a delighted smile spread across her mouth, immediately catching Vlad's interest.

Her hand tightened momentarily in his, before she turned pleading eyes to him. "Can we look at some of the booths?" Even if he had a problem with it, her eyes would have caused him to agree. It was rare that she asked him for anything, and this barely counted as a favor.

"Of course, that _is_ why I offered to bring you. If you see something you'd like to bring home with us, alert me." Leila nodded before tugging him behind her with their joined hands. Her excitement both amusing and intriguing Vlad as he allowed himself to be pulled through the crowd that made a path for them once they noticed who he was.

What had gotten her attention and made her so excited? The answer came when she pulled to a stop in front of one of the smaller booths. All of the merchandise was styled with his family's dragon, but what had caught Leila's attention was the small dragon plush. They were barely bigger than the size of his fist, but the detailing on them was impressive.

The shopkeep, seeing their interest, made his way over. "You like those plushies? My daughter makes them for fun and she told me to sell them at my booth. They've been mostly overlooked as of yet for the more extravagant items available."

Vlad chatted with him as Leila looked over each of the plush dragons, keeping an eye on which ones she showed the most interest in as she browsed. One in particular seemed to have caught her attention. Ending his conversation, he wrapped his arm around her side before questioning her. "Is there something you would like to buy?"

She bit her lip, obviously wanting to say yes as she picked it up to show him. "Maybe. They're all cute, but this one kind of reminds me of you." She handed over a dark red dragon with his family's emblem stitched onto the front. It appeared as if one of the wings had been repaired, the stitching clumsier than the others. The shopkeep's thoughts announced the reason for that before he spoke up, "Oh, my apologies _voivode_. That was one of the first dragons she made and I meant to take it out of the lineup due to the tear on the wing."

When he went to take the dragon, Vlad waved his hand dismissively. Glancing down at Leila, he asked. "How does this one remind you of me?" Besides the emblem, he couldn't see anything that would resemble him.

Leila ducked her head before shrugging sheepishly, "For one, its eyes are similar to yours when you turn your lights on, the green stands out nicely with the red scale. That and the torn wing kind of reminds me of your scars."

Vlad took another look, paying more attention to the points she mentioned and mentally agreed with her assessment. He never would have noticed if she hadn't pointed it out, but now that she had planted the thought he couldn't unsee it.

Shaking himself out of his thoughts, he gestured for the man to ring it up. After a moment of hesitation he did, offering to wrap it for them. Leila refused with a slight shake of her head, holding it closer to her chest protectively. The shopkeeper chuckled under his breath, but didn't say anything as he finished the transaction.

When they walked away from the booth, Leila had the dragon cradled against her side with the hand not in his and a beaming grin on her face.

She looked happier with that dragon than she had on the occasions he had given her jewelry, to his amusement. It shouldn't surprise him that his wife would enjoy such a thing, her tastes tended to lean more toward the odd or sentimental than things with monetary value.

Dropping a kiss to her head, Vlad glanced over at the dancing area when the music began to start up. Squeezing her hand, he nodded to the dancing area as he spoke. "Shall we join in the dance?"

Leila grinned, her excitement plain to see before her smile dropped into a frown. "I don't know how to dance beside the one you taught me for our wedding."

"These dances don't require any knowledge of the music before hand, I believe the term commonly used is 'freestyle'." He waited as she considered, pulling her lip in between her teeth absentmindedly.

His mouth caught hers in the next instance, nipping her lip before going on to plunder her mouth. She never noticed when she bit her lip, but it was impossible for him not to notice. When he pulled back, he smirked at his wife's dazed look. He never got tired of putting that look on her face.

Leila shook off her daze, glancing nervously at the dance area again before nodding. "Okay, but I might wind up stepping on your feet."

A chuckle broke from him as he tugged her toward the couples getting ready to dance. "After everything I've survived over my five centuries of life, you stepping on my feet won't be the end of me."

When they reached the ring, the couples went silent with shock. All eyes locked onto them, incredulous stares leveled at Vlad and his presence. He ignored them, instead choosing to pull Leila against him. After a moment, everyone went about their own business again while excited whispers broke out about the _voivode_ and his wife.

Leila chuckled after looping her arms around his neck, the dragon resting against his back as her cheek found its normal spot against his shoulder. "You'd think you being here was a sign of the apocalypse with how they're reacting."

"It is a long standing fact that I do not participate in this event, so for them to see me here is quite a shock." Leila hummed her agreement as they swayed to the music. This dancing was much nicer than the formal ones they did at his parties, the lack of heels hurting her feet making it even better.

Maybe she could convince Vlad to dance some more once they went home, because she could definitely get used to this.


	25. Valentine's Day Dark Pharaoh

Hey guys! As promised here is Dark Pharaoh's late Valentine's Day Oneshot. Let me know if you have thoughts, opinions, or ideas. Thank you anon for the awesome review! I appreciate it greatly and it spurred me on to write this quicker than I had planned.

Kira grimaced as she walked through the various shops in the mall with Tina. Her sister had wanted her to go with her on a shopping trip to find the perfect gift for her fiance, and Kira had reluctantly agreed. While she still didn't trust Thomas, she hadn't seen anything as of yet that was worth bringing to her sister's attention.

Until he actually did something that proved her wariness correct, Kira's hands were tied. Which left her wandering the mall, tailing behind her sister who flitted from store to store practically buzzing with excitement. While Kira enjoyed seeing her sister so happy, her instincts still screamed that something was going to go wrong.

She was shaken out of her thoughts by Tina bounding back to her side, the massive smile on her face warming Kira throughout. Whatever was going to happen, Kira would do her best to help Tina with the fall out. Until then she may as well encourage her sister's well earned happiness.

"Oh I don't know what to get him, there is so much that he would like!" Her sister vibrated in place, making Kira chuckle.

"I'm sure he'll love anything you give him Tiny T. No need to freak about it." Instead of calming her sister down, her words made Tina stick her tongue out in joking reprimand.

"Easy for you to say, with how calm you are you must have already gotten Mencheres something for Valentines." Kira raised a brow at her, what was her sister talking about?

"T, you know I don't like Valentines. Just because I'm in a relationship now doesn't mean I'm going to celebrate it. Mencheres and I show each other how much we care everyday, it doesn't matter to us what day it is." Tina stared in shock, her body freezing mid motion as she processed Kira's words.

Snapping out of it, she blurted. "But what if he has something planned? Won't you regret not getting anything for him then?"

Kira bit her lip as she considered her sister's words. Mencheres hadn't mentioned doing anything for Valentines but Kira hadn't told him she had no interest in celebrating it either…and it would be awkward if he decided to get her something and she didn't have anything to reciprocate with.

A defeated sigh pushed from her lungs, making Tina grin and start tugging on her arm toward the various shops in the mall. Her sister knew when her point had been made. While Kira believed this holiday was commercialized and unnecessary, she didn't want Mencheres to get her something and then feel hurt when he realised that she hadn't gotten him anything.

Kira had noticed that he was hyper sensitive to rebuffs or rejections when it came to any activity between them and she knew that it was leftover effects from being married to a toxic person for so long. The last thing she wanted was for Mencheres to take her not getting him something in the wrong way. After this Valentines she would tell him about her dislike of it and that they didn't have to celebrate it next year.

However, this _was_ their first Valentines and that was generally considered a big thing amongst couples so it was a good idea to get him something. If it turned out that he didn't get her anything then she could save the present and give it to him later.

Now came the hard part, Kira eyed the pink infested shops dubiously. What do you get for a four and a half millennia old pharaoh who could buy a country?

Her eyes automatically skipped over the various teddy bears and chocolates. She knew for a fact that Mencheres didn't bother eating human food and while he would probably appreciate anything she got him, he would have no use for a stuffed animal.

As she went to leave the shop, she saw it out of the corner of her eye. A grin pulled across her mouth as she picked up the bath assortment box. It contained lightly scented oils, bath bombs and bubbles. But what made her bring it to the register was the bath toy, a small rubber ducky.

Memories of when he had only just turned her and she had cornered him while he was in the bath came to her. The memory of his joking about his age brought a smile to her lips. If nothing else he loved baths so the other stuff would be a safe bet, even if he didn't find humor in the bath toy.

Tina was dubious when she was Kira's choice of gift. "Are you sure about that? I mean, aren't those usually what you give to a girlfriend?"

Kira snorted, "You don't have to be a woman to enjoy a hot bath and these scents aren't obnoxious like most are. Probably because they are made from natural plants instead of chemicals. They aren't as overpowering to me." That had been the first thing she had checked upon picking up the box, it wouldn't do to buy Mencheres something that smelled too strongly.

Tina shrugged in acceptance before linking their arms to drag them back toward the shops. "It's unfair that you found something so easily. We still have to find something for Tommy and I am not letting you off the hook until we do."

Kira sighed, preparing herself for what was going to be a long few hours as her sister bounded into the next shop. All the while, curiosity ate at her. Would Mencheres have planned something?

"Honey, I'm home!" Kira gently shut the door behind her as she entered. She knew that with Mencheres hearing announcing her presence was redundant, but after years of coming home to an empty house it was nice to be able to say it. Mencheres hadn't complained yet, so maybe a part of him wanted that too. He had been alone considerably longer than herself after all.

In the next instant, Mencheres blurred into her line of vision looking mouth watering in his jeans and button up. That hadn't been what he had been wearing when she left, and for him to change purposefully in that time confirmed Tina's earlier thought. He _had_ planned something for them. Kira made a note to thank her sister's foresight as Mencheres embraced her, his arms sending the comfort of home through her as she sank into his chest.

He pulled back after a moment, his mouth pulled into a beaming grin as he spoke. "As I'm sure you are aware today is Valentines Day and I have a surprise for you." He linked their hands as he moved toward their room.

Desire flared as he led her back, but confusion tempered it. If he was planning on having a romp between the sheets then his earlier clothes were more fitting, his new ones were generally used for more formal events. Her confusion disappeared when he led her into his office off of their room.

On top of his desk sat two suitcases already packed and a pair of brochures. Taking a glance at his expectant face, she moved to grab one of the brochures. It showed colorful images that announced the location of their impromptu vacation to be Japan. The cherry blossom trees on the front looked beautiful, and as she opened it further she read about the various attractions in the area.

There was everything from festivals to picnics and Kira would be lying if she said that it didn't look amazing. Remembering that she wasn't alone, she looked up at Mencheres who still watched her reactions but now he had a slight wariness.

Realizing that she hadn't said anything, struck dumb by his sudden surprise, she immediately smiled to relieve his worries. "This is amazing! I can't wait to go there and see it all with you."

Mencheres visibly relaxed, returning her smile as he closed the distance between them to pull her into a kiss. When he separated a few moments later, he responded. "I am glad you like it. I was unsure what you would enjoy, but I remember you mentioning your desire to travel and I wanted our first Valentine's Day together to be memorable."

Kira subtly hid the bag with the bath set behind her, she had set it down upon entering the room and picking up the brochure. While she was glad that she had gotten it now it still seemed laughable in comparison to what he had gotten her.

Mencheres attention immediately landed on it, although he couldn't see what it was from that angle. His curiosity was plain as he glanced at her with obvious confusion. Deliberating for a moment, Kira sighed and pulled it out from behind her. "It's not much, but I got you something too."

It felt ridiculous to give him it now, making her shift awkwardly on her feet as she held the bag out to him. His power stroked over her in reassurance as he took the bag. His confusion melting to affection and love as he opened the bag to unearth what was inside.

Lifting the bath set out, he examined it carefully. His silence wore on her already frazzled nerves. "It's fine if you don't like it. I just thought you might enjoy the bath stuff-" She couldn't finish her sentence as he pulled her back in for a kiss. She hadn't even seen him move, one second he was a few feet away and the next she was wrapped into his arms.

"I will thoroughly enjoy using this and you are correct in your statement of my enjoyment of bathing. Will you be joining me?" His eyes sparked green as he asked, making her own eyes glow in response.

"How about we save it for when we get to Japan. The brochure mentioned a hotel with personal baths." Mencheres nodded, placing the gift to the side. His gratitude brushed against her, although the magnitude he felt over such a small thing baffled her. He could have bought it himself if he wanted it, so why?

It clicked. He could buy anything he wanted so people probably didn't bother buying him presents. It was always nice to receive something from someone you cared about, because it means they thought of you. It would make sense that the only presents he would receive were from people who were trying to bribe him, not genuinely wanting him to be happy.

She wrapped her arms around him again as she made a mental note to get him more gifts. Or she could even write more poetry for him, since he had loved that so much. He deserved to be showered in presents just like he loved doing to her. Kira would make sure that he never went without the love he more than deserved as long as they both lived.

The plane ride was uneventful, besides Kira's regular discomfort with flying. Even after being changed that had stayed the same. When she had first gripped Mencheres hand on the flight and he had noticed her fear he had been concerned.

The memory of his worry over her made a smile tug on her lips, "If I had known you were uncomfortable with flying I would have planned something else or chosen a different means of transportation." Kira had just squeezed his hand in reassurance before inching closer to his side.

"It's fine, I knew a plane would be involved once I read the brochure and I didn't object then. I just have to remember that even if the plane did go down for whatever reason, you would get us out without any problems."

Her words had somewhat soothed her panic, but it was the look in Mencheres eyes that completely settled it. The obsidian gaze was locked onto her own with a steadfast determination and certainty, "You are correct, you have no need to worry about anything harming you as long as I am near."

He had then pulled her into his lap, the position giving him easier access to wrap himself around her while running his fingers through her hair. Their new position made comfort instantly smother her panic, the relief making her lean against his chest before dropping a kiss against his throat from gratitude.

He rumbled beneath her lips, appreciating the contact as well as enjoying her closeness. The scent of dark spices increased, alerting her to his desire but he made no move to act on it. Affection welled in her, while he couldn't do anything to stop himself from feeling arousal he was fully intending to ignore it until she was calm again.

The plane ride to Japan would take around twelve hours and her discomfort should fade within the next hour or two. Possibly earlier if she stayed in her current spot curled against his chest. Lifting her head just enough to whisper into his ear, she felt him shudder underneath her in reaction to her breathy words. "While I'm not in the mood for anything right now, give me a few hours like this and I'll be more interested. I've always wondered about the Mile High Club…"

Her words were met with a low groan and his arms tightening around her, making a grin pull across her mouth. Later, once she was completely calm, she'd show him how much she appreciated his worry. For now though, she curled closer into his shoulder. The plane hit a bout of turbulence making it shake and making her bite her lip to stop any startled noises from escaping.

She smelled as his previous spike of arousal dwindled, his concern blanketing it as he sent comfort across the bond. Yes, it wouldn't be long at all until she felt better at this rate.

Kira came back to the present, the memories of the past few hours made arousal flush anew before she pushed it back down. They had only just gotten off the plane where they had spent most of the flight's time intertwined. They could at least make it to the hotel before ravaging one another again.

Kira took Mencheres vacant hand as they exited the airport, past the lust the memories of the last few hours invoked Kira felt all consuming love fill her. Mencheres hadn't only made love to her from desire, she had felt it across their bond that he had still been concerned about her fear and has set his mind to keeping her thoughts off of it. Suffice to say he had done a fantastic job at distracting her with both his passion and his love.

Mencheres smiled down at her, knowing what she was thinking from her scent, and wrapped his feelings around her like a shield. His assurance that he had no problem in comforting her curled through her body, leaving behind only warmth.

The trip to the hotel was uneventful with both of them curling against one another as Kira watched the sights pass the window of the car in fascination. When they pulled up to their destination, Kira bounded out to look around at all the new sights and smells.

Mencheres wrapped himself around her from behind, his enjoyment of her reaction coming through the bond loud and clear. "Shall we go inside and see our room or would you like to sight see first?"

She was tempted to drag him over to the nearest park to see the cherry blossoms, but she forced herself to shake her head. "We can do that later, for now we should get everything settled."

Their suite was just as beautiful as the trees outside were. With a view of a pond and a bonsai tree out one side and the large hot tub she could see peeking out of the bathroom, she already knew that this stay was going to be great.

The rooms were sprawling and open, the decorations being spacious but tasteful added to the cozy atmosphere. Grinning widely, she turned to Mencheres who had moved to stand by the opening to watch the fish swim in the pond.

"This is awesome." Mencheres shot a smile at her exuberance, moving to envelope her in his arms in the next instant.

"Yes and we shall have the week to enjoy it together. I know you are eager to go see the sights, but before that shall we become acquainted with the bath?" By the glint of green in his eyes Kira knew that was more than a statement, it was a proposition and she was more than happy to accept.

Instead of answering verbally, Kira curled her fingers into his shirt and tugged him toward the hot tub. From the instant she had seen it she knew what she had wanted to do, now it was time to give Mencheres his Valentine's Day present.

His eyes lit up as he followed willingly, his power reaching out to strip both of their clothes off before Kira stopped him. Before he could voice his confusion, she moved to their luggage and pulled out the bath set she bought him before moving swiftly back to his side.

"This seems like as good a time as any to use it right?" The green glint left his eyes, his natural obsidian shade stared into her with an intensity she had seen from no one else but him.

His voice was a growl when he spoke, "That wasn't what I intended, but it also sounds lovely." His eyes promised more than just a bath, but Kira had no complaints to that either.

Moving past him, she opened the package and dropped in the bath soap. Taking a breath, she was glad that the scent was still light enough to not be overbearing. When she turned around to address him, she jerked to a halt when she saw what he was holding.

The rubber duck looked so much smaller in his hand, his fist being able to completely close around it with little difficulty. He was eyeing it curiously but with no judgement or disgust. Kira grinned sheepishly as she sidled up to him.

"Ah that, I forgot about it in all the excitement. When I was picking out your gift I saw the duck and remembered what you said about only the oldest vampire's having bath toys. After everything you've been through I thought the wait was unnecessary, you deserve a rubber ducky." Her tone was tinged in humor as she watched him turn the toy over in his hand before squishing it lightly.

Kira burst out laughing when Mencheres squeaked the duck, watching it as if enchanted. He glanced at her poor attempt to muffle her laugh, but made no comment. Instead he planted a kiss on her so hot that she completely forgot what she had been laughing about.

The duck was forgotten as he dragged her into the warm tub water. It was hours later when they both lay reclined in the water, with Kira resting against his chest, that the ducky floated amidst the bubbles. The sight of it brought a grin to her face as she cuddled back into Mencheres, part one of his present was done and now all she had to do was set up the last part.

"I forgot something in the other room, but it shouldn't take long. Stay here and relax, I'll be back in a minute." Mencheres gave no protests as she rose out of the water, although a spike of his desire flash fried her emotions.

Shaking her head in exasperation, she moved to their room to get everything set up. She only had a few minutes before Mencheres came looking for her but that was all she needed.

The minutes past as Mencheres listened to Kira rustle around, looking for whatever it was she forgot. He grew concerned when she couldn't find it after five minutes. Rising from the water to offer his assistance, he followed her to the main room.

"Beloved, would you like some help-" He froze in place with his mouth still opened to finish his query. There was a trail or rose petals leading to the bed, candles lit the outer edge of the path. At the end of the path, Kira sat cross legged on the bed with a giant grin. "Happy Valentine's Day Mencheres."

It was only when he moved closer that he noticed the notes hanging from the ceiling surrounding the bed. Taking one down, he read it silently. _I love your patience and understanding. _Glancing at another note, it read. _You bring more light to my life than I ever thought possible. _

His emotions choked him as he read the various notes, all proclaiming the different aspects of him that she loved. Letting the notes he held fall to the floor, he pounced on Kira in the next second.

There were no words to express how much he loved her, how it encompassed all of him and kept consuming. Instead of trying to put words to it that wouldn't do it justice, he opened the bond while locking their mouths together.

Kira pulled in a breath as his adoration passed over her like waves, his love and devotion rolling like the sea during a storm. She was glad to know that she had made the right decision planning this.

At first she had been unsure if it would be too much, since Mencheres and her generally preferred smaller shows of affection, but his reaction reassured her.

He pulled away, his eyes misty as he spoke in a rasping tone heavy with emotion. "Happy Valentine's Day, My Adored." His mouth molded to hers in the next instant, his tongue stroking against hers as he tried to devour her whole through their kiss.

As he settled them both back onto the bed, she reminded herself to tip the hotel staff for helping her gather all of the materials for her surprise. Then all of her attention was captured by Mencheres as he intertwined their bodies, the closeness pushing all of the unnecessary air out of her lungs. Yes, Mencheres was definitely happy with her surprise and she'd make a point of repeating it in the future. If this was how they spent their Valentine from now on, she might even come to like it...


	26. Prompt 17 Reverse Spooning

Hey Guys! Here is the next request from MissLissa4, hope you like it! In this one, we get to see some cuddling between Vlad/Leila and Mencheres/Kira. I always liked the reversal of the typical spooning positions so here you go!

Mencheres cracked an eye open as sunlight flowed in from the drapes he had forgotten to close the night before. With a flick of his power, the room was bathed in relative darkness once again. Kira shifted behind him, sensing that he wasn't in her arms as he was when they fell asleep the night before. Before he could retake his previous position wrapped around her, her arms wound around his waist.

Surprise briefly strafed through his conscious before settling into a content warmth as Kira entangled their legs and tightened her arms around his middle. Generally he was the one to curl around her, but as Kira cuddled her face into his neck from behind and her arms cradled his sides, he found himself enjoying this position just as much. Maybe he would request it more often, if Kira was of mind. Shifting to get more comfortable in their new position, Mencheres felt disappointment when Kira edged awake from the movement.

He didn't have time to tell her to go back to sleep before sleep heavy eyes locked with his own from over his shoulder. Her brows scrunched in confusion before taking in their position. Her eyebrows hit her hairline, before she glanced at him in curiosity. "You don't mind being the little spoon?" Obviously if he had then he would have moved her, but she wanted confirmation.

Mencheres rolled over, not wanting to talk over his shoulder despite how comfortable the position was. "If that is what it is called, then no. I enjoyed it quite a bit and would be more than welcoming should you decide to do so again."

Kira beamed at him, inching forward to peck his lips before answering. "As long as you enjoy it too then I will definitely be doing that again. I'm surprised though, most men seem to think it's demeaning or some other bullshit. I always thought it was a nice position to relax."

Mencheres pulled her against his front before responding, his fingers weaving into her hair. "I have no reason to fret about my masculinity. It is firmly in place and spending the morning wrapped in your arms would not affect it. Even if it had impacted it in some way, I would still choose to lie in your arms."

Kira's stomach bubbled happily, she loved it when Mencheres said such things. While she knew he was different than most men, being over four millennia old and all, it was always refreshing to not deal with the often toxic masculinity that plagued today's society. If Mencheres felt like doing something with her, he would. It never crossed his mind if the action wasn't strictly masculine by definition, such as this, the only thing he concerned himself with was their enjoyment.

Kira wove her fingers into his long hair, the silky strands sliding through her fingers as she took in his face. His eyes closed in enjoyment as her fingers carded through his hair, she had learned early that one of his favorite things was when they laid down and she played with it. She was happy to oblige any time that they had the opportunity, his hair was soft.

"I know and I love that about you, I can't tell you how refreshing it is that you don't buy into society's 'masculine' image or try to force yourself into that mold. I love you as you, not society's definition of how you should be." Mencheres hummed in enjoyment and agreement as her fingers gently dug into his scalp. He knew of what she spoke and even when he had been human such things had existed. Society, no matter what country, had an image they held for what each person should be. He had never cared for those images, he would be himself and it didn't matter what strangers thought about that, because as long as he and those close to him held no objections then that was all that mattered.

"I will never turn your touch away because it is seen as emasculating, I care for your touch too much and other people's opinions too little for such a thing to come about." His words sparked an idea in Kira, her hands pulling out of his hair as she rolled over onto her back, immediately catching his attention.

She held her arms out in an unspoken offer that Mencheres wasted no time in accepting. Rolling over, he rested his head against her chest and throat while wrapping his arms around her. Her arms came up to cradle his head and back, fingers leisurely stroking through his hair before massaging down his spine. He felt his body relax against her, the soothing stroking feeling sublime as he settled into her embrace.

They stayed like that for what could have been hours, before Kira shifted her hand over his head to her nightstand. Plucking the book from its previous spot, she propped it open one handed on his back before she began to read out loud. Mencheres dozed in and out of consciousness as the sound of his dark lady's voice and touch dragged him into sleep's embrace.

It was a lazy morning in Romania, one of the few times when Vlad had a clear work schedule, which left him with time to relax with his wife. Leila rested contentedly on his chest, happy to soak in the tranquil mood as Vlad's hand stroked up and down her back.

Over the past few days she had been considering asking Vlad if he was willing to try something. It wasn't sexual, which is why she was so nervous. How would Vlad react to her asking him to try, for lack of better phrasing, a new cuddling position? She knew that he wouldn't snap at her but would he think it was childish? Would he scoff at her or tell her such things were beneath him?

Smelling her building nerves, Vlad spoke up. "What are you thinking of that has you so nervous?" He kept his tone neutral, only allowing curiosity to bleed through. Ever since the disaster of his birthday Leila had been more hesitant to speak her ideas or requests, much to his chagrin. He had foolishly hoped that she would walk away with no damage to her confidence after he had apologized and explained the situation but she still had lingering problems.

Shaking off his thoughts, he focused on the present. He had sensed that Leila had been wanting something for days, but every time she was about to ask she backed out at the last second. It was frustrating, waiting for her to be ready to ask, and he had finally had enough. Curiosity and frustration pushed him to ask of her odd behavior, with any luck she would tell him what she wanted and they could begin building her confidence back up.

Leila bit her lip, debating with herself on how to answer. She had no doubt that Vlad had noticed her nerves, he noticed everything. Making a decision, she met his eyes before responding. "I wanted to ask you for something."

Vlad's eyebrow ticked up, intrigued at her words. He had thought she had a question, not a request but that explained her hesitance. She was never comfortable asking him for things. He motioned with his hand for her to continue, which she did after another moment.

Deciding to bite the bullet and get it over with, Leila blurted out. "What are your thoughts on being the little spoon?" If she was still human she would be bright red, of all the ways to ask that was what she came up with?

Vlad blinked in shock which quickly melted into confusion. What was she talking about? "Why would I be a spoon?" He knew he was missing something, by the sound of the phrase it was a more contemporary slang, but what did it mean?

It was Leila's turn to be surprised, although the phrase was relatively new it was still fairly popular. Internally groaning over how embarrassing the coming conversation was, she explained. "Spooning is the term used for when a couple are lying together facing front to back. The 'big spoon' is the one wrapped around the 'little spoon'. If you don't want to that's fine, I just thought it would be a nice thing to try."

Seeing her embarrassment, Vlad dropped a kiss to her head as he considered. Leila looked ready to take it back and bolt, but what she was asking wasn't anything shameful. He enjoyed holding her, enough to spend more time wrapped around her than he had ever spent in bed with a previous partner before. It made sense that she would want to know what it felt like to be the one holding him. He had no objection, Leila wasn't the type to gossip about what they did in their bed.

"As long as you don't spread the knowledge around, I have no problem with reversing our positions. You are one of the few people whose touch I actively enjoy, that extends to being held by you." Leila looked at him with owlish wide eyes, her surprise amusing and irritating him. Was it truly so impossible to her that he wouldn't mind trying a new position in regards to things other than their sex life?

Before she could say anything, Vlad slid her off his chest before shifting to lay on his side in invitation. Leila only hesitated a moment before scooting up against his back, her chest settling against his spine. Her arm wrapped around his waist, his hand coming to rest over hers against his abdomen before interlacing their fingers. His hand pulled her arm tighter around him, tugging her body closer to his.

With their bodies plastered together, she shifted her face into his shoulder. The familiar smell of cinnamon and smoke hit her nose as she snuggled deeper into his back. After a moment with no negative reaction, she relaxed against him. It felt nice to be wrapped around him for a change, despite that she still preferred being in his arms.

As if in response to her thoughts, Vlad spoke up. "While this is pleasant in its own right, I prefer holding you. Should you wish to do this again, feel free to ask."

Leila hummed her agreement, happy that they could do this again in the future as her other arm wiggled underneath his side to complete the embrace. The natural body warmth that Vlad emitted felt like a heated blanket in her arms, her previous drowsiness coming back with a force. The last thing she remembered before drifting off again was Vlad's thumb stroking her hand.

Aaaaand that's it for this one. I like how it turned out, lots of fluff all around.


	27. Prompt 23 Arguing

Hey guys! I've had lots of cuddles and fluff for these two lately so now we are back to the angst! Read and review, as always.

Leila watched as her husband breezed into the room, her hope that he was coming to bed dashed when he moved to the shower instead of heading towards her. She understood he was busy, the devastating storm that had rolled through a week ago had caused massive damage to even the castle which meant the town would be wrecked by it, but even Vlad needed _some _sleep.

She knew that Vlad hadn't come to bed more than three times in the last week and he hadn't slept for more than an hour or two each time. That wasn't enough sleep, even for a vampire.

Hearing the shower turn off, Leila made her decision. If her husband was going to disregard his health then it fell to her to drag him to bed. Moving to intercept him before he could disappear again, Leila blocked the doorway just as he went to exit.

His mouth twisted into a scowl, the last week's lack of sleep plainly showed on his face as he spoke down to her. "Leila, I know we haven't had much time together lately but I am very busy with important political matters. I can't take time away right now, no matter how much I may wish to."

He tried to brush past her only to meet resistance, his irritation rising he spoke again, this time with exasperation. "Really Leila, don't do this now. I don't have time for childish games." When she refused to move again, he let out a low growl that, to his shock, she returned.

"I don't care that we haven't had time together lately, you're busy and I get that. But Vlad, you haven't been taking care of yourself. Over the past week you've gotten maybe four hours of sleep combined. Have you been eating anything at all?"

He knew that she was only concerned for him, but her questioning his ability to take care of himself as if he were an errant toddler ruffled is pride. "I have five hundred years of experience in caring for myself before you came into my life, may I remind you. I know my limits and-" Before he could finish, his vision went black.

Leila's irritation disappeared as Vlad suddenly pitched forward, the only thing stopping him from colliding with the ground was her quick reflexes. Panic surged through her as she lowered him down, her hand stroking his cheek as she tried to rouse him from his forced sleep. She knew that he wasn't getting enough sleep, but she had ever expected him to actually pass out! She had thought vampires couldn't _do _that…

Shaking off her confusion, Leila pulled him up. He couldn't argue with her while he was unconscious, which made this the best time to put him in bed and see that no one woke him up. Shouldering his weight, she carried him to their bed while stifling a laugh at how they must look. Placing him on the bed she went about removing his shoes and coat, astounded when he didn't even twitch in his sleep despite normally being a very light sleeper. Pulling the covers over him, she placed a kiss on his forehead before leaving to track down a member of the staff. She needed to get the word out that no one was to wake him before someone came looking for him.

Peeking into the hallway, she saw no one but knew that they could hear her. Firmly shutting the door behind her, she called out. "Hello?" Before she could count to three in her head Maximus blurred into focus in front of her. "How might I be of assistance?"

Speaking in a low tone so they couldn't be overheard, she laid out the situation for him. Maximus looked disbelieving when she got to the part of Vlad passing out, but when he saw her concern he knew she wasn't lying. "That is worrisome. Unfortunately, a new group of people from the town who have meetings with him have just arrived and we can't reschedule them now."

Leila felt irritation rise as Maximus spoke, she understood that his people needed Vlad, but he couldn't destroy his health over this. Seeing her stony expression and knowing she was about to argue, Maximus continued before she could speak. "However, that doesn't necessarily mean we have to wake him up. You, as his wife, are the only other person who has the authority to meet with them. Don't worry, I'll help you. You're right that Vlad can't run on nothing but willpower."

Leila felt the bottom drop out of her stomach at the thought of commanding anyone, least of all Vlad's people. But if she didn't then Vlad wouldn't get some much needed rest… Forcing herself to straighten and put on a brave face, she nodded at Maximus who smiled at her.

"Okay, follow me. I'll brief you on the way about what this group of people want and what you need to do about it."

_  
After five hours had passed, full of Leila doing her best to take some of the weight off of Vlad's shoulders, she was ready to curl up and take a nap with him. How had he been doing this for days on end without crashing sooner? Her head hurt after only a few hours, but a few days? She shuddered subconsciously as she watched the newest group of people leave. It's for Vlad, she reminded herself. He was getting some desperately needed rest right now, and there was no doubt that he hadn't woken up yet because she knew that when he did he was going to be in a foul mood and headed right for her. The thought of another fight made her wary, but she knew this was necessary.

Thinking back on how many clashes they had lately made her heart twist in her chest. The added stress from the storm hadn't helped either of them with remaining calm, increasing the tension to dangerous levels. She had felt another fight brewing even before she had tried to stop him earlier. If this fight was unavoidable, then she may as well get yelled at for doing something that will help her husband relax a bit.

As if summoned by her thoughts, a wave of rage slammed into her subconscious. All the staff around her froze up, tensing and watching the door for Vlad's entrance. In less than a minute he came storming in with smoke pouring off him. Scanning the room, his eyes stopped on Leila. His rage flared again, before he pulled his shields into place. He looked considerably more rested now, but she couldn't appreciate it when his face was twisted into a truly ugly scowl.

In an attempt to preempt the coming fight, Leila spoke while raising her arms as if to ward him off. "Before you start, I only did it so you could get some sleep. I didn't do anything that will cause you problems later and Maximus helped me figure everything out." She could see Maximus grimace at being brought into the approaching fight, but to his credit he didn't run.

Vlad's scorching gaze flicked dismissively over his friend before settling on her again, just as angry as before. "I told you that I didn't have time to rest and instead of heading that you decided to take command? Are you insane? You have no experience leading anyone above the intelligence level of a dog and you thought it would be a good idea for you to give orders to _my _ people?!" He stopped less than a foot away from her, the heat pouring off him practically burning her through both of their clothes.

Speaking quietly enough to not be heard by anyone else but him and Maximus, Leila hissed. "What did you want me to do Vlad? You passed out! Not dazed out for a minute, but completely lights out and collapsed on me. Even when I did try to wake you, you didn't budge. If you're that tired then I had no business waking you up, besides I thought I did pretty well."

Vlad's eyes flashed green as fire licked up his arms, "Whether or not you excelled in leading _my _ people is not the issue. The issue is you taking command without receiving my permission first. These are my people, this is my country and it is my responsibility. I have been handling these situations long before you were born."

"If you won't accept my help then why can't you ask Mencheres or Cat? I'm sure they'd be more than happy to pitch in, which would take some pressure off of you and resolve the situation quicker."

Leila knew that he didn't mean what he said next, knew that if he hadn't still been sleep deprived he never would have even thought it, but that didn't stop the words from searing into her chest like a brand.

"I have run Romania for centuries without help because I do not need it. Other people are unnecessary when it comes to running my country. I don't need Mencheres, or Catherine. And I need you least of all."

Despite logically knowing that Vlad didn't mean it like it sounded, Leila felt pain burn like acid through her veins. She could faintly hear a slight hiss from Maximus, glancing in his direction she remembered that they still had an audience. The newest group of townsmen stood frozen stiff, some looking wide eyed at Vlad while others watched her with empathy.

Vlad stiffened, whether from his poisonous words or his realization that they had an audience she wasn't sure, but it didn't really matter.

The words had been said and as she looked over the people who were all desperately looking like they wanted to sink into the floor, she knew that she couldn't make a scene by breaking into tears right now. So, forcing her emotions into a small dark box as she had done for many years living with her scornful father and sister, she put on a smile she hoped wasn't completely plastic and spoke in her cheeriest tone, unaware of Vlad stiffening further upon hearing it.

"Ah, in that case I'll leave you to it since you are obviously well again. Your next meeting is here so I will just go now, after all I'm not needed here. Try not to overwork yourself again, Vladislav." She wasn't sure why his full name slipped out, but his form jerked as if she had cursed him instead of simply saying his name.

Her movements lacked their usual grace, but she doubted that anyone would judge her for that right now. To keep up the charade that she wasn't on the edge of tears, she placed a kiss on Vlad's cheek. His muscles twitched as if she had struck him, before she turned toward the doorway.

Sending what she hoped was a smile to the group of people, she exited. She thought she had heard Vlad let out a strangled noise but she brushed it off as her imagination. Quickening her strides, she did her best to keep her eyes down as to not alert anyone of the pink sheen covering them despite her best efforts. She was practically running by the time she reached their bedroom, shutting the door as gently as she could before sliding down against it.

Leaning her head back against the wood, feeling its cool surface against her skull, she pulled her knees to her chest and finally let the tears flow. She bit her lip to keep any sounds from escaping, not wanting anyone to come and check on her right now. She couldn't completely let go, but she could at least stop fighting the tears.

After a few minutes, she forced herself to stand. Feeling caged in, she began to pace the length of the room as her mind whirled. Vlad's previous words running circles through her mind, like a record on repeat that just wouldn't stop. Leila never wished more that she had someone to talk to about this kind of thing. Her father would only use it as a weapon against her, Gretchen would be unsympathetic at best and mocking at worst, and Marty… At the thought of the man who had for all intents and purposes been her father, the tears began to flow again. A fierce ache yanked on her heart as longing tore through her emotions. She would give almost anything to have Marty here to talk to right now.

But thinking like that got her nowhere, Marty was dead and he wasn't coming back which meant she had to suck it up and deal with it alone. Loneliness added itself to the ever growing heap of emotions threatening to drown her. She knew it was ridiculous to let this get to her but she couldn't help it. She knew that in a few days she and Vlad would be back to normal and this would be forgotten until the next fight, but in the moment it felt impossible to make herself feel anything but pain.

As the tears burned in her eyes again, she remembered Kira leaving her cell phone number when they visited for Christmas. Biting her lip, Leila considered calling her. Kira hadn't scorned her when she had a PTSD attack and they seemed to be friends when she and Mencheres had left… Before she could change her mind, Leila picked up the phone that had been specifically built for her and scrolled down to Kira's number.

The time it spent ringing was nerve wracking, Leila almost choosing to hang up only for Kira to answer just as her finger hovered over the end call button.

"Leila? Is everything alright?" The sound of her friend's genuinely concerned voice made a lump form in her throat. Clearing it twice before she could answer, "Yeah, I just really need to talk with someone who isn't on my husband's payroll."

Silence stretched for a moment before the sound of a shutting door came across the line, "Sorry, I didn't think you'd want Mencheres listening to this. I take it something happened with you and Vlad?"

Leila sagged down into the armchair in front of the fire, relief that she did have someone to talk with warring with her want to not bother Kira. Vlad's words rang in her mind again, making her decision for her. "Yeah you could say that...This is going to be a long story so you might want to get comfortable."

The call had gone considerably well, to her surprise Kira had not only listened but had offered advice that Leila had the intention of following.

Kira had told her that she and Vlad needed time apart from one another, their constant fighting was negatively affecting her. When Leila had asked where she should go, Kira had wasted no time in offering to house her. "We can call it a girl's week. Maybe Mencheres can stay with Vlad and help him get all of that mess sorted out."

And so here she sat many hours later, a packed suitcase next to her as she waited for the sound of Mencheres helicopter. Leila knew that she should talk to Vlad, but the earlier sting was still there and growing. Wariness pressed down on her, is this how their life was going to be? Constant fights, her in tears from something he said or did until he eventually did something else to apologize, usually without actually apologizing? The thought made her stomach turn over, that would truly be a nightmare.

She had half expected him to come to her during the hours she had waited for Mencheres and Kira to arrive. His not showing up brought both relief and pain to her. She wouldn't have to face him and give him the chance to change her mind before she left, but he also hadn't stopped by long enough to check on her despite his harsh words earlier.

She broke out of her thoughts by the sound of helicopter blades. Glancing out the window, Leila took in the sight of the sleek black machine as it landed. She could just see Vlad's form as he rushed out to meet it, obviously confused at his honorary sire's presence. She could see the instant Mencheres told him what was going on, Vlad froze before whipping his head around to stare right at her through the window. When he looked like he was going to start toward her, Mencheres hand came down onto his shoulder. His lips were moving, but she couldn't hear what he was saying from this distance. Kira ignored both of them as she breezed through the castle doors, a woman on a mission.

Leila knew that was her que to grab her suitcase and leave the room. Taking a stabilizing breath, Leila got ready to face off with Vlad. Squaring her shoulders, she walked through the doors and made her way down to the waiting helicopter.

Kira met her half way, wrapping her into a hug before Leila could utter a single syllable. Whispering into her ear so no one could hear, "It'll be okay. Mencheres promised to keep an eye on Vlad. He encouraged our girl's week and told me to feel free to extend it to two weeks if we felt the need."

Leila felt tears prick her eyes, but these were of gratitude. She had only ever had Marty, her mother and Vlad to care for her like this and two out of three of them were dead now. If how tight Kira held her was any indication, she was to be added to that list. Pulling back, Leila murmured her thanks. "I don't know if the second week will be needed, but it is nice to know it's an option."

One of the staff rushed to grab her bag for her, but she waved them off. The last thing she wanted was for the staff to deal with Vlad ordering them to not load the luggage. She always tried to not put them in such situations. The lady must have guessed her reasons because she bowed smartly before leaving while reeking of relief.

When they passed the doors to the entrance, Vlad was there and looking like a storm cloud. "Come now Leila, this is excessive. I acknowledge that what I said was unnecessarily hurtful, but-"

Leila cut him off before he could start on a rant, "That's not the reason I'm doing this." She grimaced, "Well, not the only reason. You and I have been at each other's throats for the last two months Vlad. I'm tired of fighting you, exhausted by the emotional backlash that always comes from it and I'm wary of the tension that seems to be suffocating us lately. It's not like I'm leaving you. I'm just going on a vacation with Kira for a week. I need space, Vlad. We both need space or else we're just going to keep sniping at one another and I am tired of it."

And because she was still feeling hurt from his earlier words, she tacked on."Besides, as you said earlier, you don't need me. So instead of staying here and watching you work yourself to the point of passing out while unable to do anything to help, I'm going with Kira. We already agreed that a girls week sounds nice, maybe two weeks if it goes well. I'll call you in a week to let you know if will be extended or not. You're not stopping me though."

Vlad's mouth stayed open for a second, shock displayed clearly before his face wiped of expression completely. A mild look of consideration painted his face as he thought over the last two months and all the fights they had. He hadn't thought they were fighting excessively, but now that it was brought to his attention he acknowledged to himself that the frequency of their fights had increased alarmingly.

Grimacing, he nodded. He knew from the determined set of her face that she would not be moved in her decision and trying would only make it worse.

"Very well, I believe this isn't necessary but if you think it is then I won't argue. The reason our arguments have escalated is due to an increase in my workload and the recent storm damage. Once you get back we'll discuss it more." Leila nodded, not believing a word he said but knowing that agreeing was the only way they were leaving. His eyes narrowed as if he sensed that but before he could call her on it, Mencheres spoke. "The helicopter is refueled now, whenever you ladies are ready to go it is at your disposal."

Turning to Kira, he opened his arms in an unspoken invitation which she quickly accepted. Pulling him into a passionate kiss, they separated with eyes only for each other. Mencheres stopped Kira before she could enter the copter, "Beloved, if you could call when you land I would greatly appreciate it."

Kira easily agreed, "Sure thing, you can tell Vlad too. That way Leila can be saved the trouble of linking to him later."

Vlad ground out a curse as Kira wished his sire goodbye, knowing that she had done that on purpose to stop him from attempting to convince his wife to come home early as he had planned, before she turned to him. Eyes that had been warm with love not three seconds ago went dead when they landed on him. "Vlad." With a barely there nod, she turned to the plane.

Leila hesitated before quietly saying her goodbyes. "I'll be back in either one week or two. Love you Vlad." The words were said more out of obligation than desire and it twisted something in Vlad's guts.

It was all he could do not to hiss in frustration as Leila turned to the aircraft. He had known earlier that what he had said would have consequences but he had never expected this. He figured Leila would be hurt, but once he pried himself away from the townspeople for a moment he would apologize for his untrue words. His earlier sleep deprived statement rang back through his mind, making him grimace.

Seeing his wife shut down completely and act as if she wasn't hurt by his words had ripped at something in his chest. She should never have to act or fake her feelings for him, and yet she had done just that to avoid causing a scene. Watching her leave while knowing that it would be hours before he could soothe the pain he had caused had been a different form of torture. He had spent those hours thinking of how her face had crumpled briefly before she had pulled her shields around her like a security blanket. The barest flash of pink to her gaze and the deep hurt they had briefly shown before shutting down had felt like silver burning in his chest.

Every time he had managed to clear a few moments to go to her and take the words back, a meeting would magically move up to right that minute. After multiple attempts at wrestling himself free, he had given up and instead thrown himself into completing the day's meetings early. He had planned to use the hours he saved by spending some much needed time with her, perhaps watch a movie together after he apologized, but just as he had finished his final meeting of the day his sire had made an unexpected appearance.

The thought of stewing for the next week, at least, over his words without being able to fix the damage inflicted made him react without thought.

His body moved without his command, his hand wrapping around Leila's arm. Jerking to a stop, she turned to him warily as Mencheres stretched his name out warningly. "Leila, stop this. Come back inside and we can discuss everything now. If you still feel like leaving, then go but don't let this fester for a week." He had made time specifically for this reason, all she had to do was come inside and he could soothe the pain he had caused.

Leila's eyes widened as understanding dawned, gently taking his hand she pulled it off her arm and shook her head. "No, I know how that will go. How it always goes: you apologize, I accept and then we repeat the process again in a week or a month. Not this time, you'll survive a week without me."

Turning away, she jumped into the copter without a backwards glance. When Vlad looked ready to jump in after her, Mencheres wrapped his power loosely around him in warning. Growling under his breath, Vlad was forced to watch as the helicopter rose and took his wife away.

Leila watched as her husband's form got smaller as they rose, her stomach twisting uncomfortably as her gloved hands rung nervously. Kira watched sympathetically, knowing separation anxiety when she saw it, but deciding not to mention it for Leila's already frazzled nerves.

Taking her hand instead, Kira squeezed it reassuringly. "This is another reason it's good to have time away from each other. It's not healthy to be completely dependant on another person's company." Leila reluctantly nodded before prying her attention away from the window. Sighing as she sank into the chair, Leila mentally nodded her agreement. She knew this was going to be a long week if her already anxious feelings were anything to go by.


	28. Prompt 24 Making Up

After a lovely review and some urging from a reader I decided to post this a week earlier than I had originally planned. So as always, read and review.

Leila looked out the window of the three story house, the beauty of the garden under her window was wasted as she stared into space. It had been six days since she had left with Kira for their "girl's week" and she was feeling both relaxed and tense enough to shatter at the slightest hit. The time away had the desired effect of clearing her head without having Vlad's presence distracting her. She hadn't realized how much their fighting and Vlad's foul mood was exhausting her until she was away from it all.

While it was nice to have a break from that, she was also lonely for the first time in over a year. She was so used to having Vlad at her side constantly that not being near him was almost painful. She understood what Kira meant when she told her that it wasn't healthy to be so reliant on Vlad's presence and she was right. Vlad had to leave many times in the year to do errands as the master of his considerably large line and he wouldn't always be able to take her with him. She needed to be able to handle being without him when it was called for.

This vacation certainly helped with that. Kira had made a point of keeping them busy since the minute they touched down. Everything from zoo visits to the local arcade was in their plans and Leila had loved it. Kira had even set up a movie night, complete with blood bags for snacks. Leila had been shocked by how much effort Kira had put into her plans and making Leila feel at home. When Leila had thanked her for it, Kira had shrugged her thanks off.

"It's nothing to thank me for. You're my friend and you don't feel well, I want to make you feel better and keeping your mind off of your problems will help with that. Besides, doing these things with you is fun."

Leila would never say just how much that meant to her, but she got the feeling Kira knew despite her not vocalizing it.

Sighing to herself, Leila refocused on the question she had to answer by the end of the day. Did she want to stay another week? Part of her did, the thought of going back to the castle where Vlad could still be in a foul mood wasn't appealing in the slightest. The memory of how he had grabbed her arm before she left flashed through her mind. He hadn't wanted her to leave, had in fact argued against it multiple times, but she had ignored his wishes and left anyway.

The idea of staying in this quiet and peaceful neutral ground for a bit longer sounded better and better with every passing minute, but she couldn't run away from her husband forever. They would need to discuss their fighting lately and his habit of working himself to passing out instead of simply asking for help, neither of which were topics she necessarily wanted to cover.

She also had to take Kira and Mencheres into consideration. However long she decided to stay would be how long they were separated. Kira shouldn't have to be without her husband because Leila was hiding from her own. That was the barest amount of consideration Kira deserved after helping Leila over the past week.

A knock on the door startled her out of her thoughts, Leila turned to see Kira leaning against the open doorway with one hand still resting against the wood from her knock. "Where were you? You looked miles away."

Leila's mouth twitched in amusement at how true that statement was. "Well, considering who I was thinking of it, technically it was."

Kira nodded sympathetically, moving to sit on the bed next to Leila. "Have you decided if you're staying another week or not?"

Leila's grimace served as her answer, Kira patted her back comfortingly. "No need to rush, just call Vlad and tell him that you're considering it and you'll get back to him tomorrow or the next day. Don't push yourself on it, this vacation is supposed to be relaxing for you." Leila nodded, watching as Kira rose to give her space to think.

"Let me know when you figure it out, if you feel like it there's a cute little bookstore I wanted to check out with you later but I understand if you just want to relax today. Tina should be by later so we can all hang out, after I introduce you two, of course."

With that, Kira left her alone to consider her options. The idea of going to a bookstore sounded relaxing after how much they had been doing in the last week and Leila was excited at the thought of meeting Tina. Knowing she would need to think on it for at least the rest of the day, Leila stroked her hand over Vlad's essence and followed the link back to him.

Ever since being turned into a vampire Vlad couldn't hear her when she linked to him without her specifically sending her thoughts. She had been tempted to check in on him throughout the week, knowing he wouldn't know about it, but she had refrained. They would survive a week without one another. Maybe Vlad would even have the situation with the storm solved by the time she decided to go home. It would be nice to not have the oppressive cloud hanging over them while they talk everything out, but the likelihood of him accepting the help he needed was slim to none. The amount of damage and people he needed to see to would take a month of work, she had done the numbers when Maximus had coached her on how to help Vlad after he passed out. Without help, the dreaded stress would remain for a while longer, further making her want to extend the vacation a week.

Leila watched as the walls of the guest room melted away to the castle's stone interior. Vlad laid reclined on their bed with his eyes closed, but his posture was too stiff to be asleep. Taking her time to look him over, she was shocked to realize how haggard he looked.

Leila had been sure Mencheres would have forced him to rest for his own health, but apparently not even his honorary sire had managed that feat. While he was clean and freshly showered, his stubble had lengthened into a beard and his hair looked tangled as if he had run his hands through it endlessly. It was a contrast to his normal put together appearance and a small part of her wondered if it was because she wasn't there with him.

Forcing herself to focus back on her reason for linking and not her husband's tired appearance, she sent her thoughts across the link.

"_Vlad?"_

His previously tense, reclined posture disappeared as he snapped into a sitting position. His eyes flew open as he scanned the room before looking where she would be if she was physically there.

"Leila, have you made your decision to come home?" No niceties or conversation starters, just immediately wanting his answer. Affection flared at his familiar attitude.

"_No, I haven't. Kira and I are having a lot of fun though. I'm thinking of extending it another week."_

Vlad's face twisted into a scowl at her statement. "There are plenty of fun things to do in Romania, you could invite Kira here to continue your vacation."

The tone he used wasn't commanding, but Leila could hear the undertone of aggravation and almost desperation. Vlad was handling their separation just as well as she was, it seemed. While she was surprised at his offer of inviting Kira, she shot the idea down.

"_If I head home tomorrow it won't be to go sightseeing. I'm sure the town still needs a lot of work, I'd prefer to be using my time to help those who need it than going somewhere fun."  
_  
Vlad's grimace softened around the edges, "Yes, you do have the habit of wanting to help people, don't you?" His words held the slightest trace of remorse, Leila knew he was thinking on her well intentioned actions the week prior.

"_We're not having this conversation over link. It can wait until tomorrow or next week. I'll link to you again when I decide if I'm staying or not." _Vlad's scowl resurfaced with force.

"Come now, Leila. There is no need for this. You've made your point and I acknowledged that my words were wrong." Before he could say anything else, Leila cut him off.

"_No, Vlad. This is my decision and I will let you know when I make it. I won't have this argument over link_. _I love you and I'll talk to you later."_

"There won't be an argument-" Vlad's words are cut off by the link dropping. Leila stared at the walls of her guest room and sighed. While he may say there wouldn't be an argument, she highly doubted it. They couldn't seem to help butting heads whenever the opportunity arose and it was likely this time was no exception.

Glancing at the open suitcase next to her, Leila shook off her melancholy. She had a meeting with Tina to dress for and a bookstore to go to, she could think more on how long she would be staying tomorrow.

The meeting with Tina went better than expected, Kira's sister had wasted no time in welcoming Leila to their odd little family. It was now day seven of the vacation and Leila still hadn't decided when she would be headed home. The sight of Vlad so disheveled pulled on her heart, but she knew that if he was going to keep refusing her help then there was no reason for her to go back. Watching him pass out had been one of the most terrifying things she had seen in the last year and that wasn't including having to sit back and let him ignore his own well being by working himself into the ground. No, it was better to stay here and not have to subject herself to that.

The sound of a familiar voice walking toward the house had Leila sprinting toward the main hall with confusion. Kira appeared right next to her, her brow creased in worry at hearing the voice of her husband who was supposed to be in Romania with Vlad. They both skidded to a halt as two familiar heads of dark hair breezed into the house.

Leila stared in shock at her husband's stiff posture. He looked slightly better than the last time she had seen him, but not by much. His hair wasn't quite as tangled as before although it wasn't in its normal style either. He had changed clothes from when she had last seen him, now wearing her favorite sweater that was practically painted onto his torso in a rich wine red that accented his eyes. The jeans he wore were another surprise, Vlad generally wore slacks or higher end material pants. It was rare she managed to convince him to dress down in jeans, but the way they clung to his hips was well worth the amount of time it took to make him come around to it.

The sight of him in all his gorgeous, albeit exhausted looking, splendor made Leila ache to go to him and trace her hands across every plane of his body. Shaking herself from her hormone induced thoughts, she focused more on the almost slouch to his shoulders and the tired droop to his eyes. The sight twisting her heart painfully.

Before she could rethink it, she walked up to him and cupped his face. Stroking his light beard, she spoke. "Vlad, what are you guys doing here? I hadn't made a decision yet and you can't try to force me to go home." Her body tensed as she prepared for the fight she was sure was coming. She had told him it was her decision and she was going to fight him for it.

Her bravado deflated when Vlad grabbed the hand on his face, interlocking their fingers before pressing it more firmly into his jaw. She felt as he inhaled deeply near her wrist, his actions telling her exactly how much he had missed her.

Dimly she noticed as everyone else left the room to give them privacy, but her eyes were only for Vlad as he answered her question. His tone was steady, "You are my wife in all realms of law, this means I am legally allowed to be wherever you are. You were refusing to come to me, so I came to you."

Staring in disbelief, Leila finally chokes out. "And what if I choose to stay another week? You can't just abandon Romania while it needs you."

Vlad refused to release her hand as his eyes remaining locked onto hers. "Then I will stay here for the week as well, I refuse to be separated from you for another day. The last seven days have been wretched without you so I decided I wouldn't be without you any longer. As for Romania, I asked for Mencheres aid and have the worst of the damage cleared. Anything that is left over can wait until I come back. I have spent enough time over the last few weeks ensuring my people's well being, now it is time to focus on yours and mine."

Leila couldn't believe what she was hearing, her husband had come all the way to the states to be with her. He wasn't trying to force her back like she had thought he was, instead he was refusing to leave her side no matter where she chose to be.

The thought of going home was appealing, especially now that the worst of the stress had past. Taking in his appearance and the emotions brushing against her own, she gave in. "Alright, let's go home. You look like you're about to pass out again. I understand that you take your duty to your people seriously and I admire that, but you can't do this to yourself."

Vlad's smile was jaded with a touch of humor, "My current appearance isn't due to any purposeful neglect of myself. When I refused to rest after you left, Mencheres locked me into our chambers with the strict order to rest. However, I couldn't sleep peacefully without you by my side. When I realized that the only thing that would make it better was your presence, I asked Mencheres for his help in handling the damages. Thus freeing me to go to you in case you wished to stay another week."

Leila felt a twinge of guilt at the knowledge of her being the reason behind Vlad's exhausted state. Her hand brushed through his beard before twining up into his hair. His eyes flashed closed for a second, soaking in her touch, before reopening and staring intensely into her own as she spoke.

"Well, now that we've decided to head home we can both get some much needed sleep. I don't care who I have to electrocute, you're not leaving our room until I'm satisfied that you've had enough sleep." Vlad's mouth twitched in amusement, inclining his head in silent agreement.

"I will wait here while you pack." Leila nodded, squeezing their interlocked hands before blurring off to get her things ready. Excitement flushed through her as she began filling her suitcase, Vlad seemed to not want to fight like he had said when she had talked to him before. Maybe there wouldn't be an argument after all…

"I am happy to see that your wife is agreeable to returning home with you. While we solved the worst of the problems, you really shouldn't stay away from your country for long in its current state." Mencheres stood in front of Vlad, Kira curled into his side where she had been since he had entered their home.

Vlad glanced at him briefly before focusing back onto the door his wife had left out of moments before. "It matters none, if she had chosen to stay I would have remained as well. The past week of separation has been more than enough."

Mencheres hid a smile at Vlad's statement. It was nice to see the one he saw as a son happy. Leila was good for him, she kept him from becoming cold to the world around him. He still had a lot to learn, as this past week broadcasted, but so did his wife. They would learn together over the next few centuries of being married.

He had watched, over the week, as Vlad had run himself into the ground trying to resolve the problems of his citizens as to retrieve his wife quicker. He hadn't out right said his reasoning, but Mencheres had a hunch. If he was correct, the reason for Vlad's rush to return to his wife's side was a combination of his guilt over his own words before she left and his natural desire to have her near him.

Watching now as Vlad waited for his bride, Mencheres knew that their disagreement and Leila's hurt feelings would be addressed in short order. Once in a private environment, Vlad wouldn't waste a moment in soothing over the hurt his words had caused. That pain had already had too long to steep as it was and Vlad knew that. Mencheres had seen the knowledge of the damage his words could cause eat at Vlad over the past week. It was no surprise he had been so determined to resolve the problems soon.

Tina trotted into the room, breaking him from his thoughts as she was introduced to Vlad. "Oh! You're Leila's husband, you aren't really _the_ Dracula are you?" Mencheres mentally cursed at his sister in law's accidental misstep. Before he could speak to sooth Vlad from his irritation, Vlad spoke up, surprising Mencheres with his calmness.

"No, Dracula is a fictional character that holds no resemblance to me other than our shared names. Don't call me that, I despise that horrid name." Tina agreed easily, unaware of how unusual his calm reaction was, before bidding them all goodbye.

Seeing his undoubtedly surprised expression, Vlad grunted out. "Not minding my words has already cost me much over the past week, I won't be making that same mistake again anytime soon. Besides, Tina is your sister-in-law, showing disrespect to her is the same as disrespecting you."

Nodding his acknowledgment, Mencheres surprise only increased when Vlad turned to Kira. "You have something to say, so say it." Mencheres looked at her curiously, he hadn't noticed her wanting to speak but seeing how she shifted uneasily, he knew that he had missed it.

Kira's mouth pulled into a hard frown, she glanced warily to Mencheres before beginning to speak. "I get that you were sleep deprived, but you really need to watch your words with your wife. I don't like receiving calls from one of my few friends while she's crying and needing a rescue from her fire breathing husband. Aim the fire toward your enemies from now on."

Vlad easily nodded, knowing that his words had been unnecessary and untrue. Had he been in a normal frame of mind he would never have let them leave his lips, however his previous rage mixed with his sleep deprived status had him spitting those venomous words before he could think better of it. The last seven days he had done nothing but think on how his wife's face had crumbled from pain before locking all emotions away. From the moment Leila had left that room he had wanted nothing more than to take them back, but her sudden trip to the states had thwarted him.

Kira relaxed now that the threat to her friend's emotional well being was gone, "Good, because for the most part you two are good for each other. The last thing I want to see is you becoming toxic to her emotional health." Vlad caught the grimace on his sire's face and his slight tightening of his arm around Kira's waist, there was a story there, but he had no interest in it.

"You have no need to worry about that, while I accidentally harm her with my words more often than I prefer, I would never hurt her in any way on purpose." His words rang with truth, it tore at him whenever he was the reason his wife was hurting, he never did it on purpose but sometimes their fights would escalate and it happened despite his wishes.

Leila breezed into the room with her suitcase in the next instant, stopping to kiss Vlad's cheek in greeting. His body lost some of its stiffness at the affectionate gesture. Leila's voice was low when she spoke, only loud enough for him to hear. "I know you don't mean to hurt me, that's why I'm still with you. If you did it on purpose I would have left already."

Most males would have been enraged or unsettled at such a comment, Vlad had never been like most males. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he pulled her into his side. "Good." He never wanted Leila to feel as if she had to take anything he said without defending herself, a relationship where either party is unable to speak their mind or object to unfair treatment is unhealthy. While their marriage wasn't always easy, he would never allow it to become harmful to either of them.

Exchanging goodbyes with one another, Kira grabbed Leila in a hug before they left. "If you ever need another break or just want to hang out, give me a call. This was nice and it would be fun if we could do it again in the future." Leila nodded, still stunned by someone other than Vlad willingly hugging her. Vlad gently tugged her toward the back lot, where the helicopter was parked and ready to take them home.

On the walk over, Leila hesitated to grab Vlad's hand. They still hadn't talked about their fight or his words, were they still in the middle of an argument? They weren't acting like it… As if in answer to her thoughts, Vlad gripped her right hand in his. Relaxing against him, Leila smiled at his unspoken reassurance. Before they boarded the helicopter, Vlad pulled her to a halt outside of it.

Her confusion only increased as Vlad stripped her gloves off of her before lighting them on fire in his palm. Leila protest was cut off by Vlad's clipped statement. "These won't be necessary, you have more sets waiting for you at home and I am more than capable of keeping your powers in check until then."

Leila immediately stopped trying to argue as it dawned on her what he was doing. Her husband wanted to hold her hand and instead of asking or just taking it, he made it where she had to or risk causing engine troubles. Something between a sigh and a laugh pushed from her lungs, "If you wanted to hold my hand, all you had to do was ask. That was a waste of perfectly good gloves."

Choosing not to comment on her observation, Vlad pulled her into the copter behind him. Leila watched as the forms of Kira and Mencheres became smaller in the window, only turning to Vlad when she could no longer see them.

An awkward silence spread as Leila stared at her husband, not sure if he wanted to talk about everything now or later once they were home. Breaking the silence, Vlad gave her the answer. "Before we begin clearing the air, I need to address something. My words from before you left were untrue, I do need you. I apologize for ever letting you think otherwise."

Leila felt the knot in her chest that had formed when he had said those hurtful words begin to loosen. Logically, she had known he hadn't meant it, but that didn't stop her emotions from turning sour. Squeezing his hand, she accepted his apology. "I know you didn't mean it, I knew that immediately after you said it. I just had difficulty pushing back the instant emotional response."

Vlad grimaced, his hand coming up to stroke her head in a comforting fashion. "You shouldn't need to push back your emotions and I will do my best to not give you reason to. The minute you left the room I wanted to follow you, to take those words back. I knew that they had an impact, whether you wanted them to or not. Leila, never think for an instant that you are not absolutely necessary in my life."

Leila grimaced, immediately setting Vlad's nerves on edge. "I mean, you weren't wrong. You don't _need_ my help, you've lived on your own for five centuries so I'm not-" Vlad's lips cut off her words. It was all he could do not to hiss in frustration, he had hoped she wouldn't take his words to heart, but he should have known better.

"You're wrong. While I don't generally need help in matters pertaining to politics, you were correct that I did need it for this case. There was too much for one person to cover feasibly, even if that person was me. You brought that fact to my attention and I hadn't wanted to admit it, but you were right. I lashed out at you because I didn't want to acknowledge that, but Leila."

Here he pulled her into his arms, "I do need you. In every aspect of my life, you are vital. If the grave were to claim you, I would follow shortly. After dragging the one who caused your death to their own, of course."

Leila wrapped her arms around his chest and held on tight, she had known on an instinctual level that he wouldn't hold on if she passed, but to hear it from him was something else entirely. Swallowing back the lump that suddenly appeared, "I won't ask you to try to live without me, because if the situation was switched and you were the one who died I would do the exact same thing. Instead, let's both just try to stay alive as long as we can, okay?"

Dropping a burning hot kiss to the top of her head, Vlad voiced his agreement. "That is the plan. Now that we have talked about our most recent argument, shall we sit? We have a long flight back to Romania."

Leila tugged him toward the seats in answer. Instead of sitting in her own, she waited for him to take his seat before planting herself into his lap. She felt his chest rumble with amused chuckles but his arms didn't hesitate to wrap around her, securing her to his chest. His voice broke her out of her bubble of comfort after she had cuddled down into a comfortable position.

"There is another matter I wished to discuss with you, now that we have resolved our previous disagreement."

Leila looked at him curiously, not sure what he was wanting to talk about but listening attentively. They had already talked about their argument so what else was there to discuss? "Alright, I'm all ears."

Vlad's mouth twitched down as he spoke. "After I spoke without thinking a week ago you were rightfully hurt by my words, but before you left you called me by my full name. I request that you don't do that again."

Leila raised an eyebrow, but nodded all the same. "Okay, may I ask why?"

Grimacing, he explained himself. "I share the name Vladislav with my father and the only time I used to hear his full name spoken was when my mother was enraged with him. My father was a cold man and their marriage was arranged for political gain, so my mother held no love for him. She had no power over his actions or words, so she fought with him in the only way she could. By calling him by his full name that very few people used. While the citizens believed she was showing him respect, my father, my brothers and I knew better. I grew up watching my parents loathe one another with an icy coldness, my mother's use of his full name was only one of many ways they used to show their displeasure with one another. I don't like the comparison of my parent's loveless marriage to ours. Ours will never be that, I will ensure it. Therefore, the next time we fight, if you feel the need to call me anything other than Vlad, I would prefer a disgustingly sweet nickname over Vladislav, if I had to choose."

Shock rolls through Leila at his admission before understanding settled. It was similar to how she didn't like seeing reminders of her father in Vlad's actions. She used to hate how Hugh had treated her mother, so to see the similarities in Vlad was disconcerting.

Wrapping him into her arms, she spoke. "If it means that much to you, I won't do it again. Do you seriously prefer cliche nicknames over that though? You would prefer I call you stupid things like 'honeybear' or 'sugarpie' when I'm angry with you?"

Vlad grimaced at the names, but nodded with confidence. "While I despise those as well, they are still miles better than my full name."

She didn't even try to hide her shock at the new information. "But wouldn't it hurt your reputation more to be called one of those over your name?"

He sighed, knowing that he wasn't getting out of this conversation. "While it may possibly affect my reputation, I will take that risk. Considering all of the things that have happened over the last year of our relationship, what you choose to call me will probably not have any effect."

Leila nodded against his shoulder, mentally making a note to not use his full name anymore. She hadn't even meant to say it then, but seeing the profound effect it seemed to have on him she knew that she wouldn't be saying it again.

Vlad relaxed underneath her, happy to bask in her company now that all of the pressing issues had been discussed. His hands traced up and down her back, taking comfort in the small jolts of electricity that naturally came from her.

She let the atmosphere settle into a comfortable silence, before breaking it again. "So, what's with the wardrobe change? Usually I have to drag you into jeans and you can't get out of them fast enough."

He cracked an eye open, staring down at her as he considered how to answer. "I knew that you wouldn't be happy with me for following you to the states after our previous argument. However, I wasn't sure how unhappy you would be so it made sense to dress in clothing that you find most attractive. It's harder to be mad at someone when you want to drag them to the nearest flat surface and have your way with them."

Leila pulled back to look at him, both amused and touched by his decision. Sure his plan hinged on manipulating her hormones, but the reason he was trying so hard was because he didn't want her to be angry. He was bang on for his clothing choice, she had barely kept her hands above the belt since they left. However, there was one odd thing about his appearance…

"I appreciate it, but your beard doesn't exactly match your clothes." She stroked his beard as she told him this. It's longer length feeling odd against her hands, but not wholly disagreeable.

Vlad grimaced at the reminder, "No, it doesn't but I hadn't thought that far. I was set to come and get you as physically fast as possible, in my rush I forgot my razor. If you had decided to stay a week, I would have had someone run to get one, but we are on our way home now. Once we are there, I will fix it."

Leila rubbed her palm against the unfamiliar bristles, "No need to rush, I think I prefer your usual cut, but this is nice too." Vlad's mouth twitched into a smile, "Of course, it is. It's on me."

She let out a laugh at his arrogance, "I should have seen that coming." He nodded in agreement as he pulled her tighter against his chest.

Relaxing into him, one of his arms holding her legs while her head curled under his chin, she felt as dawn began to sap her strength. "Go to sleep, darling. We have a long flight ahead of us and I will be following you soon."

She needed no more encouragement, allowing the heavy lethargy to pull her down. Before she slipped under she felt burning hot lips slide against her forehead and warm breath brush against her. "Have sweet dreams, my love."


	29. Home Alone

Hello everybody! I had a lovely anon reviewer who wanted to see some exploration into Leila's loneliness and how she deals with her trauma. I have to versions of this, one where Vlad is understanding and one where he is an asshole. I decided to post the nice version because he isn't _that_ much of an asshole. Anyway, thanks for the review anon and I hope to hear from more of you.

Leila forced a smile as Vlad got ready to leave, the sight of his muscles tensing as he got dressed not sending the normal bolt of arousal through her that it usually would. He had noticed that something was off, but she had reassured him that she was fine and she would be...just as soon as he got back safely.

It wasn't like the errand Vlad was going on was particularly dangerous, it was just long and tedious. It hadn't even bothered Leila until he had told her that she should stay home for the trip. At first she had thought he was mad at her for something, despite not remembering doing anything to anger him lately.

When she asked, he had been quick to correct her assumption. "I'm not mad at you, I thought you would enjoy the chance to relax at home. The meetings I have to go to are dreadfully boring. If I could get out of them, I would. Unfortunately, one of the duties of the voivode is to handle these meetings."

Leila had bitten her tongue to stop herself from asking to go with him anyway. The last thing she wanted to do was alert Vlad to her little issue.

Ever since her kidnapping from their home, she had been having problems staying calm when Vlad was gone. If he was home then she was fine, but the minute he left she would be on edge and anxious.

The first time Vlad had left her alone at home she had been beyond startled to feel that fear. She had thought it was her instincts warning her of an attack. She had stayed up throughout the night waiting for something to happen, but nothing did. Vlad came back the next day and had been surprised to see that she was still awake. He had been under the impression that she had purposefully stayed awake to greet him upon his return and Leila had let him believe that.

She would never tell her husband, who had survived a decade of rape and imprisonment with brutal determination, that she was scared to be left at home without him after her much shorter and less severe capture. She felt stupid that she had this problem to begin with and she didn't want to risk Vlad scolding her over it. She was a grown woman, she shouldn't have to have someone home with her to hold her hand and keep the fear away.

Which led her to where she was now, watching her husband get dressed and prepare for a week long trip that he wouldn't be able to keep his phone on him for. Again she mentally lashed herself for feeling this irrational fear. Zsylagi was dead, Vlad had ensured it, so there was no reason to feel afraid of being home without him. Besides, she was decently lethal in her own right.

Vlad pulled the last piece of clothing into place before turning to her, immediately calling her attention to him. He bent to kiss her before speaking, "I shall be back in a week at most, these meetings tend to last at least three days but sometimes I can get through them quicker. I won't have my mobile on my person, but the emergency phone will be. If you need anything, call it."

The discussion that was so similar to the one they had before her kidnapping had her head reeling, but she forced a smile and hoped it was genuine. By the narrowing of his gaze, she got the feeling it wasn't.

Before she could try to change the topic, Vlad cut her off with a hard tone. "Leila, is something wrong? You seem to have been more tense over the past few days. If there is something amiss then bring it to my attention."

His hand stroked her face as he stared into her eyes, his coppery green gaze bore into her own as if he were digging her secret out of her through their eye contact.

She was so tempted to tell him, but she stopped herself right before she was going to open her mouth. It was ridiculous. She was _not_ going to ask Vlad to stay home from an important meeting because she was afraid of being away from his side. No, she would see him off with a smile and when he came back safe in a week she would know that her feelings were irrational.

His worry and care helped her pull a more genuine smile off, the sight of which convinced him with her words. "I know I've been a bit more tense lately, but it's nothing. I'm just not used to no one actively trying to kill us so I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop." The best lies were hidden in truth and this time was no exception.

Vlad lost the intent stare he had leveled her with, instead an affection look replaced it. His lips brushed her forehead, his emotions wrapping around her like a hug in the instant he cracked his shields. "If someone should attack, you will be fine. You are an exceptional warrior in your own right and you are surrounded by many more. Zsylagi was the only enemy I have that was powerful enough to stage that kind of attack, so you can rest assured that until I make more enemies you are perfectly safe."

His words didn't reassure her as much as he probably wanted them to, but she kept her smile as he said his goodbyes. She made a point of brushing his hand before he left to check into his future and bit back a sigh of relief when she saw nothing of worry. It had become a tradition for her to check his future before he left. She knew that he was a bad ass vampire who was older than some civilizations but she couldn't help but worry. Thankfully, Vlad put up with it like a champ. He didn't complain about it, simply offered his hand for her to see for herself that he would be fine.

Knowing that he would be fine did wonders for helping her anxiety for his health, but it didn't do anything for her own. As she watched him walk out the doors to their home, it was all she could do not to run after him and beg to go with him. She could _do _this.

She could _not_ do this. She didn't even have to breath anymore but she found her chest tightening and panic skittering down her spine when she couldn't seem to pull in the, unnecessary, air into her lungs.

It had barely been a day since Vlad had left and she wasn't sure how she was going to last the rest of the week. If that was how long Vlad took to come home then she wasn't sure what she would do with herself. She had been fighting this feeling off and since the moment that Vlad left and even a day later it hadn't calmed down.

As she slid down the door to their room to sit on the ground in front of it, she bit her arm to keep herself from making any sounds that would attract concerned guards. The last thing she wanted were strangers worrying about her. She knew some of the guards and would consider Samir her friend, but the only person she would trust to see her like this was Vlad or possibly Kira.

But if Vlad was here then she wouldn't be having this problem and Kira was all the way in the states so neither of them were an option. As another spike of fear slammed into her chest she bit deeper, not stopping even when she tasted her own blood. She _had_ to find something to make this stop or she would never be able to be away from Vlad for any length of time.

Medicine was useless now that she was a vampire and that was the only thing she could think of that would help in this case. She had lived similar experiences through various people's essences over the years but for the life of her she couldn't think of what they had done to make it stop now. Most of them had used medicine, that much she could remember through her panic haze.

Tears blurred her eyes as hopelessness sat like a rock in her gut. Would this be how it was from now on? Feeling this overwhelming fear anytime Vlad was away? This wasn't healthy and she didn't need a trained therapist to tell her that to know it.

A knock on the door made her jerk back into reality, the voice of one of the staff members ghosting through the door as she scrambled to get up and make herself appear marginally sane. "Ma'am, is everything alright? You've spent a lot of time in your room since the voivode left..."

She bit back a curse as she scrubbed at her eyes and yanked her shirt over the blood stained bite mark on her arm. Of course the staff would notice her absence from her usual routines, not to mention she hadn't gone out to feed yet. The only thing she had done since Vlad had left was shower and pace their room, the thought of sleeping or even leaving the room sent a new thrill of fear down her spine and despair through her chest. How was she going to handle this?

With a firm mental shake, she answered the waiting staff member while opening the door. "I'm not feeling myself today and I didn't want to subject anyone else to my mood." Not quite the truth but not a lie either.

The lady in front of her seemed dubious but let it go. "Would you like to feed, since I am already here?"

Leila nodded, stepping out of her and Vlad's room with great reluctance. The tight feeling in her chest increased, making her swallow to relieve her suddenly dry throat. "Yeah, I would appreciate it. Sorry for the trouble, I think I need more sleep."

The staff member waved off her concern, offering her throat which Leila quickly bit into. With her eyes closed from drinking she missed the flash of worry in the staff's eyes which was carefully masked when she had pulled back and pricked her thumb to close the wounds.

It lasted all of thirty seconds, but by the time the lady was leaving and Leila had retreated back into the room it was all she could do to hold herself together and not lose the blood she had just drank. She was an adult, she could do this.

As she resumed pacing, she began to consider her options. She needed to research what this was and how to go about dealing with it because she couldn't avoid it forever. But with how freaked she was there was no way she could touch a laptop without frying it and the only one here was Vlad's. She would feel bad if she killed it by not controlling her electricity, not to mention explaining that to Vlad would make her current goal of not telling him about her problem more difficult.

The shelves of books caught her attention and she immediately walked over to them. Most of them weren't in English and she doubted that Vlad would have a book on mental health problems in his private room, but it was worth a shot.

After searching the shelves twice over and finding nothing, disappointment curled around her heart. She knew that it was a long shot, but still…

The only place that _might _have books on this would be the library, which was two floors down and usually filled with people. While she could ask someone to get the books for her, that was too obvious and would definitely get brought to Vlad's attention. If she wanted the books then she would have to go and get them herself.

Forcing a breath that she didn't need past her tight throat, she opened the door to their chambers and stepped out. The hall was empty, to her relief, as she began to power walk down to the library.

She could hole herself up in there once she got there. This would also help reassure the staff that she was fine, since she had been cooped up in the room for over a day now.

The staff members that she passed bowed as always and she gave them the most genuine smile she could that still felt plastic. By the time she reached the library it was all she could do not to break out into a run and slam the doors behind her. There were less people here than usual but the few that were here would probably find the behavior odd.

As she looked out at the rows of shelves, she realized she didn't even know where to begin. One of the librarians came over, making sure to catch Leila's attention before approaching. Ever since her capture, all of Vlad's people had been careful to not sneak up on her. She appreciated it even as she was frustrated that it was necessary.

"Ma'am, are you looking for anything in particular?" The lady reminded her of Isa with her graying hair and kind eyes. Leila pushed her feelings back enough to think up an answer that would be plausible but wouldn't raise any suspicions.

"I am actually, I didn't think about how big the library was before coming in. What section are the psychology books in?" Maybe if she stayed vague enough they would assume she was just interested in learning about the human mind and look any further into it.

While the lady didn't say anything, Leila could see the flash of confusion in her eyes. Thankfully she led the way without asking, because Leila wasn't sure what she would say if she did ask. "Right this way deary."

They stopped a few rows in, where she gestured to the last half of the giant shelf. "All of these are psychology books. If I may ask, is there a specific area of psychology you are interested in? There are hundreds of books here and it may take you longer to find the one you need if you look through all of them."

She should have known she wasn't out of the woods yet. Scrambling to come up with an excuse, she answered. "I'm curious about something I relived in a vision, but I'm not sure what area it would be in. I think it was a mental health condition but it didn't feel like anything I had experienced before."

Again a vague answer that held seeds of the truth in it, she was getting good at this. The lady nodded, "Well we have five books pertaining to the various mental health problems, their side effects, and general information regarding them if you would like to take them?"

Leila nodded, still fighting to keep control of the panic rolling inside of her. The longer she was out here the worse it was getting and she was dying to go back to the room that smelled like Vlad. She could curl up with the books and snag one of his shirts to wear, maybe one of the books would have some information on how to keep this monster under control.

It only took a minute for the librarian to get the books and send her on her way, but they felt like some of the longest minutes of her life. The second the books were in her arms she threw a thanks over her shoulder as she power walked back to the room.

Some of the panic melted away when the door shut behind her again, but most of it stayed to her frustration. Determined to push past it without contacting Vlad, she snagged a shirt from his side of the wardrobe and curled up in the bed with the books.

Time to see if she could figure out what all was going on with her head and how to fix it.

She woke up the next morning curled into the blankets with the open book still sitting on her chest. Well, apparently Vlad's shirt had worked in calming her down enough to make her sleep…

Either that or the information in these books was so complicated she had fallen asleep to get away from it. Possible, since most of the words she was unfamiliar with and couldn't look up because she hadn't grabbed a dictionary from the library.

From what little she understood, she could be experiencing something similar to PTSD. She would have to read more to figure out what she was dealing with in particular and she didn't feel like doing that right this instant. Her head felt packed full of all the new terms that she had never heard before and would have to look most of them later, but for now she would take a break from reading.

Most of the different conditions she read about all said the same thing, eat right, drink water, take meds and see a therapist. The first and third ones would be useless for her since she didn't eat food and medicine wouldn't work on her. She drank plenty of water so that wasn't helping the problem and as for the therapist idea?

That just wasn't going to happen. If she couldn't handle it alone then she would try to talk to Vlad about it, or Kira, hell even Mencheres if she had to but she would _not_ be going to talk to a stranger about this.

Frustration boiled as she put the book in her nightstand with a place holder to come back to where she left off. If she kept reading while only understanding some of the words it would just frustrate her more. Better to stop now and switch to a different book, hopefully that one would have less terminology she didn't understand.

By the end of the day she was sick and tired of reading psychology books and desperately missing Vlad's calming presence. It had only been two days since he had left and she was ready to curl into a corner and hide until he got back.

As she laid back into their bed, the empty spot next to her clawed at her heart making the hollow feeling increase as she tried to sleep. The room held a chill that she knew had nothing to do with the temperature, she had tried to light a fire but it hadn't done anything for this cold.

Exhaustion from the never ending panic and frustration with the entire situation made tears gather in her eyes. If this kept up she would have to tell Vlad, whether she liked it or not this was not healthy for her mentally, physically or emotionally.

After an hour of staring at the ceiling while trying desperately to not start pacing again, she gave up with a growl. Snapping open the nightstand, she fished out the book she had been reading earlier and tried to focus on it instead of the ache in her chest. If she couldn't sleep then she may as well try to get some more research out of the way.

The next time she woke up it was to warm hands and a familiar voice, "Leila, wake up." Vlad's voice had a hard undertone that made the hair stand up on her neck even as the fear from the last few days evaporated as if it were never there to begin with.

Sitting up, she caught the hand he had used to nudge her and interlocked their fingers as she shook the last of her sleep off. Vlad's brows were pulled down and concern practically oozed off of him as he looked down at her, or more accurately the book that was still sitting in her lap.

Suddenly wide awake, Leila tried to come up with a reason she would be reading this that Vlad would believe. Choosing to go with the one she had told the librarian earlier and hoping he fell for it, she answered. "I wanted to research something I saw in someone's past, but I can't understand most of the words in it."

Vlad gave a non committal humm. When he spoke his voice had an undertone of, "bullshit". "Research you say? You could have asked me if you were so curious and I would have helped you understand it."

Leila shrugged, knowing that she was digging herself a deeper hole but not wanting to cop to the truth yet, she didn't even really know what the truth _was_ but she knew she didn't want to tell Vlad about her new weakness. He already had enough to worry about without adding her sudden fear about being without him. "I didn't want to bother you. You seemed busy with your meetings this week and it wasn't important, just something to pass the time."

He stared at her with his searching eyes again, waiting a beat before continuing when it was obvious she wasn't going to be saying anything else. His mouth curled into a hard smile as he spoke, "Did you know that one of the staff is an Empath? If you are unfamiliar with the term it means she can feel all the emotions of those around her. I have been talking with her about becoming an on call therapist for my home due to her ability."

Dread immediately slammed through her, she hadn't known there was someone here who could feel her emotions. She internally flinched at the thought of just how badly that poor woman must have been feeling over the last few days thanks to her panic.

Refocusing on Vlad, Leila grimaced at the tightly pinched look or irritation he sported. Oh yes, her husband knew and was _not_ happy with her for choosing to keep it to herself. "Why didn't you tell me you were having problems with my leaving and you staying in the castle?"

She flinched outwardly before she could catch herself in time, well if he didn't know before he definitely did now… A sigh pushed past her lips as she moved to get out of bed, tucking the book to the side as she stood up to be at eye level with Vlad.

Her eyes skirted everywhere but him as she prepared to answer but she was cut off by his hands coming up to bracket her face. He gently guided her eyes back to him and his worried gaze captivated her own, making her unable to look away.

"Leila, have you been having suicidal thoughts?" The words made her jolt in surprise as his previous concern turned to pain as he misunderstood her jerk. A new type of panic spread as she rushed to correct his misunderstanding before he could speak.

"No! I haven't been having those kind of thoughts. You just surprised me with how out of nowhere that was." Her words came out jammed together but she knew Vlad understood them when he relaxed and a flash of pure relief came across their bond before he tightened it back up.

His eyes searched hers as he continued his questioning from before. While he was glad that she wasn't suicidal, he believed her vehemence on that front, it still left the problem that she had decided not to alert him of her suffering. That bothered him quite a bit. "I am glad, but back to my previous question. Why didn't you tell me before I left for the meetings? I would have brought you with me."

She tried to look away only for his hold to tighten and keep her staring straight ahead. "Leila, my Darling, talk to me. Something is eating you and I want to help, but I can't unless you tell me what is going on in your mind. Why didn't you tell me you were having these problems?" His eyes were imploring as they stared into her own, reigniting her desire to tell him everything. The use of her nickname sending shots of love and affection through her like he knew it did further pushing her to answer him. He must really be worried if he was breaking out her nickname...

She knew that she was being ridiculous about this, but the idea of telling Vlad about her newest problem made her feel like a child that was embarrassed about wetting the bed. She _shouldn't_ need help with this, but by the look in Vlad's eyes he wasn't going to let this go.

So after a moment of consideration, she explained what she knew. "I didn't want to tell you, for one because I have no idea what exactly is _wrong_ with me. That's why I had the books, I was trying to figure out what was going on before I did anything else."

She trailed off after that, not wanting to say her other reason for not telling him but Vlad nudged her onward. He stroked her cheek as his voice dropped into a comforting rumble. "And the other reason?"

A frown twisted her mouth harshly as she thought on how to best word it. Giving up, she blurted it out. "You've dealt with worse than I did, but you have no problem going anywhere alone. I shouldn't be reacting like this when you went through worse and-"

He kept off her words with a kiss, a hiss of frustration breathed against her mouth before he yanked back. His eyes bore into hers as he glowered, "Don't compare what happened to me in my boyhood prison and your capture. One pain is no more or less devastating than the other. Don't try to downplay the trauma you went through because it didn't last as long as my own. You were _skinned alive_, starved and nearly raped. Don't tell yourself you have no right to these feelings and especially don't hide them from me because you think I won't take them seriously due to them being supposedly lesser than my own boyhood suffering."

His words hit deeply, unmasking a fear she hadn't even acknowledged carrying. She _had_ been afraid he would brush her feelings off or scorn them like her father had done so many years ago. In retrospect it was ridiculous to think he would do such a thing, his history would make him more likely to empathize than to deem her feelings childish. It was easier to avoid the fear altogether by trying to figure it out on her own and let Vlad be none the wiser, but that wasn't how marriages worked.

Even if she had succeeded and managed to haul it back under control before he noticed anything, she would have been hiding something big from him. It could turn into something worse and then it would've been even harder to tell him about it. Even though she didn't like talking about it, maybe it was a good thing he had been told.

Seeing her understanding and guilt, Vlad sighed before pulling her forward to brush a tender kiss against her forehead. "Swear to me that in the future you will bring anything that concerns, frightens, or angers you to my attention. I'm here to share your burdens whether they be emotional or mental. I will never scorn you for feeling something, even if I don't understand where it is coming from. That I promise."

Leila swallowed past the lump in her throat, she had severely underestimated Vlad in this case. She should have known he would do his best to support her, even if he didn't understand what she was going through. A wobbly smile tugged at her lips, "I promise to bring things that concern, frighten or anger me to your attention from now on."

The reiteration of his words made his mouth twitch up, before he wrapped her into his arms again. His voice breezed past her ear from where he had her pinned to his chest. "Good, now let's discuss your fear of being left alone in our home."

She immediately grimaced, but didn't try to fight her way out. Vlad knew about it now, he wouldn't let it go until it had been hashed out. Instead she chose to burrow deeper into his throat and inhale his scent. It had already been washed out of the shirt she had snagged, but smelling it straight from the source instantly relaxed her. It also gave her the willpower to attempt to describe what she had been feeling the past few days.

"I don't know how to describe it and I'm probably not going to make any sense. It's just this...fear. But not like I'm standing in front of an enemy with a weapon fear. More like I'm standing with a silver knife in my chest and someone is about to twist it. But there's no one there. And it only happens when I'm left here without you. I was fine when we were hunting Mircea, so it isn't being left alone that does it. I think it's because this is where I was captured from, and I always feel safe with you so it just doesn't penetrate when you're here?"

It ended on more of a question and she could only hope he understood because she certainly didn't. By the darkening look on his face, apparently he did.

"It sounds like it is leftover fear from being captured from our home when I wasn't present. If that is the case then I will simply take you with me on my future tasks. The only reason I didn't this time was because I assumed you would be bored to tears while waiting for me to finish the meetings. Now that I know what you were going through here, I see boredom is the better option."

A flash of remorse speared across their bond and made Leila tighten her arms around him. "Don't blame yourself for this. I should have told you but I didn't want to remind you about my kidnapping. Now that you know we can work on it together, right?"

Her tone was colored with uncertainty toward the end, they hadn't exactly talked about what they would do with the new information besides him taking her along on his errands. Was there anything they could do?

His arms tightening around her before releasing her got her attention again, "Yes, together. I need to research this before we try anything though. The mind is a tricky thing and the last thing we want is to make this worse when trying to make it better. The books you already have will be a good place to start, from there I can find others to better explain the details or methods we could use. In the meantime, you mentioned terms you didn't understand?"

He began leading her back to the bed, his familiar warmth sending the past few days worth of cold away. As he went to climb in, he stopped and stared at the clothing hamper across the room. Before she could ask what had his attention, he spun around to face her with a serious expression. "Why is one of your shirts stained with blood?"

She internally cursed when she glanced over and saw the shirt she had previously worn. She must have gotten blood on it when she bit her arm the other day. Grimacing, she reluctantly answered while reminding herself that she had promised to tell him these things. "I bit my arm. I couldn't think straight and I was getting overwhelmed. When I started to drowned in the feeling I bit myself to use the pain as a focus point."

It sounded much worse when she said it out loud and by the dark look in his eyes, Vlad agreed with her assessment. His mouth twisted harshly, "Don't do that again. Never harm yourself as a way of distraction. If you need a distraction, come to me. If I am not available, find a staff member and have them bring you to me. I will make myself available."

Warmth settled into her chest as she nodded. His complete support was refreshing and after the last few days worth of fear she wanted nothing more than to melt into his arms and stay there for the year. Thankfully Vlad seemed to have similar thoughts, tugging her into their bed before folding himself around her like a living blanket.

"Sleep now, Darling. After the past few days you have had, you need the rest." Leila hummed dazedly against his throat as she began to drift off. The only thing that had been keeping her awake had been his absence, now she could finally sleep peacefully agan. As his hand began to rub at the knots in her spine that had formed from the tension of the past few days, she knew that everything would be okay. They would get through it, together.

And we are done! Next one should be another fluffy one for Vlad and Leila. I'm thinking some stress relief is in order.


	30. Stress Relief VladLeila

Stress Relief -

Vlad glowered at the newest batch of people asking for his audience. Usually his meetings were well spaced as to not take the entirety of his day, but due to an earthquake that hit the nearby town there was much to do. Thankfully the damages were less than when the storm had passed through a few months prior, but it still left him with many people to listen to.

He understood that they needed help and he was willing to provide it, but quite a number of the meetings were for small grievances that could have easily been handled by one of his staff. After the past seven hours of hearing the same grievances over and over, he more than needed a break. Biting back his temper, he listened as the newest batch of townspeople reiterated what almost all the others before them had said.

When they finally finished it was all he could do not to rise from his chair and leave them without an answer. His irritated silence lasted a minute too long, for one of them spoke up with indignation. "Sire, are we boring you with our desperation?" The man's tone was biting and Vlad could see his wife's eye widening in fear as she tried to tug him backwards.

Vlad wouldn't kill the fool for his words, despite what she worried, he could hear and see the man's exhaustion and this family had slightly more cause than most to report to him. However, he wouldn't allow such a tone to go unpunished, especially since the family's problems could have been solved by the relief efforts he already had in place.

Allowing a hard smile to curl his lips, he watched as the man stiffened and the wife shrunk back. "Desperation, you say? From what you have told me there is no immediate emergency you need aid for. You have come because the recent earthquake caused damage to your home. However, I already have relief efforts in place in town and they are working to repair damages as fast as they can. Your house holds no more importance than that of your neighbors and the order in which the relief finishes is already set. I will not be making exceptions for you or anyone else. Is that clear?" His tone was ice, further making the man quail under his gaze.

He understood the man's frustration but to come here and demand aid ahead of everyone else was callous and foolish. By the way he was staring at the ground now, he had come to realize that too. After a word of dismissal, Vlad decided he had enough. Rising from his seat, he moved toward the door only to pause directly outside of it when a voice from behind him called out.

His assistant watched him nervously, "Sire, the next meeting is-" His temper snapped. Spinning around, he moved with clipped strides to stand in front of the now flinching back assistant.

"I have been here for over seven hours listening to grievances, almost all of which are to do with the order in which people's homes will be repaired. I am going to take a break and when I get back you will have gone through the remaining meetings. Anyone who is asking for an audience for things that the relief efforts are already working on will be denied. Do you understand?"

His tone wasn't quite as icy as when he had previously addressed the man, but it was close. Generally he tried to curb his temper, but he had worn his limited patience short. After the first two hours he had wanted nothing more than to relax, alone with his wife for the rest of the day. However he had made himself stay because that is what was needed of him. No more, he had earned a break and he would be taking one.

Not waiting for the assistant to speak, he whirled back around and began moving toward his room. Leila would already be done with her routines by this time, if he was lucky she would be in their room or the connecting lounge so he wouldn't have to find her.

His staff all politely bowed but noticeably stayed out of his way as he moved, the crowd parting for him with ease. His irritation boiled, but he forced it back. Soon he would be with his wife and he could calm, if only for a short while, before he had to go back.

Luck was on his side, Leila laid reclined on the lounge in front of the floor to ceiling bookshelves with an open book propped on her chest. Hearing his entrance, she peaked up and immediately shut her book. Apparently, if her sudden concern was any indication, his face was expressing his displeasure loudly.

Opening their bond, he let her feel his frustration and mental exhaustion. Her eyes softened in understanding as he sits next to her on the couch. She wasted no time in wrapping her arms around his chest from behind, her cheek resting on his shoulder as she nuzzled into his throat. "Rough day?"

A low hum of agreement rumbled in his chest, he relaxed into her embrace. The feel of her arms sapping the last few hours worth of irritation from him like poison from a wound. He would have to go back soon, but until then he could enjoy his wife's company.

Moving her mouth to drop a kiss on his shoulder before trailing her lips up to his neck, she spoke into his ear. The low sound of her voice urging his blood to flow south. "I have a way of making it all better."

He saw the green from his gaze glint off the metal of the nearby fireplace, his arm reaching back to yank Leila against his side, allowing him easier access to her mouth for a scorching kiss.

"I'm sure you do. However, as much as I would love nothing more than to participate in some rigorous love making, I still have hours of meetings left to finish. Afterwards, I will be yours to do with as you will."

Leila grinned cheekily up at him from her spot wedged against his side. Wiggling free from his tight hold, she moved to sit behind him again before resting her chin on his shoulder. "Can't wait, but that wasn't what I was talking about."

Vlad raised an eyebrow in intrigue as Leila's grin widened. She scooted further back until she was propped into the corner of the couch. Once situated, she wrapped her fingers into the back of his shirt before tugging gently. The obvious request for him to recline back on her was received and followed with open curiosity.

Following the movement until his head rested against her chest, he stared up at her expectantly. Her fingers were in his hair in the next instant, combing through it and gently massaging at his scalp. The soothing motions rolled through his body like waves, all his former tension leaking out from him as she began to hum lowly.

By the time she stopped nearly ten minutes later, he had resolved to stay there for however long she decided to continue. He had already seen that most of his meetings were mild grievances, so it wouldn't cause damage for him to stay here for a while longer.

She dropped a kiss to his forehead before speaking, her hands still lightly combing through his hair. "Did that help? I can keep doing it if it does."

Lifting his arm, he cupped her head and pulled her down into a kiss. The angle was odd with him being upside down, but it still had the intended effect of expressing his gratitude. "While I would like nothing more than to have you continue for the foreseeable future, if I allowed you to do so, I will never go back to work today. So, regrettably I must go back." So saying, he rose up from his lying position before pulling her into his arms one last time before he left.

He soaked in the comfort of having her in his arms before planting a kiss on her head. Time to finish his work. The quicker he got through it, the quicker he could enjoy his time with Leila. The thought gave him the will he needed to sit back down for his meetings. As he looked at his now much shorter list of meetings, he could faintly see his assistant's relief at his mood change. Leila was very good for him, especially on days such as this.

Shaking off his train of thought, he straightened before calling in the next person. Soon, he reminded himself. Soon.

And that's a wrap on another smaller idea that refused to leave until I wrote it down.


	31. Prompt 7 Request By MissLissa

Hey guys! This one is Wearing Each Other's Clothes, sorry for not putting it into the title MissLissa4, I'm half asleep. Hope you enjoy it!

The girls watched as their respective husbands left to the meeting the Law Guardians had called all the major line holders to. Apparently with all the excitement lately with zombies, a law guardian gone rouge, and ghoul uprisings they thought a pow wow was necessary. Cat had almost argued herself blue in the face trying to convince Bones to let her go with him, but after much arguing she conceded.

Leila and Kira, while they were uneasy with the situation, stayed without complaint. Vlad had been surprised at Leila's easy compliance, until she had explained. "It's just a meeting and you said they have a non aggression thing in place, besides if they did try anything you and Mencheres have it handled." Her words had also helped soothe Kira, who had until that point been more dubious than Cat.

Denise slung her arm around Cat's shoulders, trying to cheer her up. "Come on Cat, it's not like we usually get a lot of time to hang out with each other so let's make the most of it."

Shaking off her mood, Cat returned the one armed hug, "What do you have in mind? There isn't any alcohol here and we promised to stay here until the guys finished." Denise grimaced at the reminder, she didn't like that but there was nothing she could do about it.

Cat interrupted her train of thought, her words rife with good natured teasing. "Denise, are you wearing Spade's shirt?" Her mouth twisted into a sly grin, amusement playing across her face and her scent. Denise immediately began sputtering out a denial that her scent gave away as a lie.

Seeing her embarrassment, Leila stepped in. "You say it like wearing your husband's clothes is a bad thing? It's some of the most comfortable stuff to wear, so why not?" Denise shot her a grateful smile as Kira joined the conversation.

"Leila's has a point, although his shirts are way too big on me and it makes them look baggy no matter what I do. Still, definitely the most comfortable."

Cat shrugged, "I never said it was a bad thing, I was just teasing that she wore his shirt to a formal meeting."

Denise's suddenly jerked up, surprising the other girls at her sudden movement. "That's it! That's what we can do!" When she only received three blank looks in response, she elaborated. "Since we can't leave here and there's nothing to do in the building we can snag our husbands clothes from the overnight bag. It's kind of like adult dress up."

Kira shrugged, not seeing a reason not to since as Denise said there was nothing else to do, but Leila's voice broke the silence. "Why don't we make it more interesting? We wear their clothes but whoever can make their husband have the biggest reaction when they come back wins. No prize or anything, just bragging rights?"

Denise nodded, grinning impishly at the added rules. "Sounds good to me! I'm already in his shirt so I'm set. That leaves you guys." Cat and Kira wordlessly headed toward their separate rooms, Leila headed in the opposite direction. She had thought it was funny that the Law Guardians had known to not put Vlad near Bones in the sleeping arrangements. They have put them on separate ends of the building, to her further amusement.

When Leila reached the room, she perused through the clothes Vlad had already put into the dresser. She was about to pick something at random when a flash of crimson caught her attention. A grin split her face, she grabbed her favorite sweater of Vlad's before dashing into the bathroom to change.

When the girls met back up, they all almost burst out laughing at the sight they made. Most of the clothes were baggy, giving each of them a comical look. Cat was the only one who looked almost natural in her clothes, she had chosen Bones's jacket instead of a shirt and the long leather covered her well.

Leila had experience in making this particular sweater look natural on her so hers was the next most normal looking outfit in their group. If it weren't for the bagginess and the way too long sleeves that hid her hands she could probably claim it as hers.

Kira's form was swamped in Mencheres white shirt, the end stopping between her thighs and her knees. It took everything Leila had not to ask if it was Egyptian cotton. Instead of putting leggings on underneath the shirt, as was the original plan, Kira instead grabbed a sash and tied it around her waist to make a dress.

Denise had tucked the end of the shirt in, but it still puffed out at her waist, easily announcing that it was a men's shirt. After glancing at one another they all couldn't contain it anymore. Cat started laughing first with Leila close behind until they were all in stitches.

They were brought out of their humor by the door opening and the men coming back in. Mencheres led the line, only to slam to a halt at the sight of Kira's makeshift dress. She smiled sheepishly at him with a shrug, but Leila's voice cut off any explanation she could say.

"Hi Vlad, this is exactly what it looks like." Her words sent Cat into another round of laughter with a choked cough coming from Kira. Vlad moved past Mencheres, who was still frozen in place, and wrapped Leila into his arms.

Amusement strafed over their bond mixed with the usual flash of arousal at seeing her in his clothes. "What did you four get up to that this was the activity that came to mind?" Leila shrugged against his side, her replying further amusing him.

"Boredom. It'll make you do the weirdest shit. We had a game going that whoever got the biggest reaction out of their husband would win bragging rights. I lost, but I figured I would. You're use to me walking around in your shirts."

Leila stopped to glance over at Mencheres still form, "If the Mega-Master's reaction is anything to go by I would say Kira won by a landslide." Turning to him, Leila called out to break him from his stupor. "Hey, are you going to unfreeze anytime soon? I think your wife is getting worried she broke your brain."

Mencheres jerked back to the present, his eyes locked on Kira with a smoldering intensity. In the next blink he was at her side, wrapping an arm around her waist he lifted her into a toe curling kiss. When he finally pulled back, he began walking toward their room with a parting comment thrown over his shoulder. "We will be awhile, I advise leaving without us."

Leila barely managed to hold her laughter in until they were out of the room, she leaned against Vlad as she chortled. Vlad, for his part, just shook his head at his wife's antics. Once she had herself under control, she turned around in his arms. "Now that I think about it, how come you weren't even surprised to see us doing this?"

He glanced around the room, eyeing Bones grudgingly before speaking. "I only had eyes for you, I didn't notice the other women were dressed similarly until Mencheres froze. While you look ravishing in my shirt as you always do, it doesn't surprise me to see you in it."

Leaning her head back, Leila scrunched her brow in confusion. "How come? I've never done something like this when we're not at home?"

Vlad pulled her tighter against him before replying, "Why do you think I brought that sweater? You seem to have a preference for wearing my clothes and that sweater in particular seems to go missing from my wardrobe commonly. I thought it was your favorite so I packed it in case you wished to wear my clothes again while we are away."

Beaming up at him, it was all she could do not to vibrate with happiness. It was times like this she was reminded that her husband was a romantic in his own way, just not the stereotypical type. "While the sweater is nice, the reason I like it is because you wear it a lot. It usually smells like you, and when it doesn't I give it back so you can use it again. It's also comfortable, which is nice."

Vlad felt a flutter of warmth roll through his chest, he had never considered that before. "You could always use my shampoo if it meant that much to you?"

Leila froze, staring up at him dumbstruck. He eyed her in confusion, had he said something wrong? Before he could speak, her head thunked onto his chest.

"For fuck's sake how did I miss that?" His mouth twitched as he wove his hand into her hair.

Dropping a kiss to her head, he reassured her. "It doesn't matter how you missed it because now you know." Leila hummed against his chest, reluctantly agreeing.

Bones's voice rang out, making Vlad tense up. "You two look quite cozy over there Tepesh. If I didn't value my life I would even call you two adorable. Offering your toiletries to her for your smell, it's the vampire version of a Hallmark moment."

Cat elbowed Bones in the side, hard. He grunted in surprise as Vlad's eyes narrowed. "One more word from you, street peasant, and you will be nothing more than a bad smell in the air."

Not sure how serious he was, Leila looped her arm with Vlad's and began tugging them toward their room. "Come on Vlad, let's pack up and head home. I think we've socialized long enough now."

Cat clapped a hand over Bones's mouth when he went to speak again. "Anymore comments and you're sleeping with your pillow and nothing else." He raised an eyebrow at her promise but closed his mouth compliantly.

Vlad wrapped his arm around Leila's waist before giving his goodbyes. Not wasting any time before whisking them to their room. Denise released a breath when Vlad left, for a minute there she thought things were going to get dicey. While his fire couldn't kill her it could still hurt like hell, and everyone else here was still too flammable for her liking. Spade dropped a kiss to her head, acting as if he hadn't been tensed right beside her since the moment Bones had opened his mouth. "Now that the excitement has ended, I believe we'll be heading out as well. Care to catch a plane with us Crispin?"

Bones nodded after Cat put her hand down, "Love to, mate. Mencheres already told us to leave without them so nothing here to hold us."

All four of them retreated to their respective rooms to pack, dutifully ignoring the sounds coming from Mencheres and Kira's room.


	32. Poisoned Passion

Hey guys BAWV here with another one shot for Vlad and Leila! The thought popped into my head while rereading Twice Tempted when Shrapnel mentions his plan to poison her. What would have happened had he done so? Then the way his staff backstabbed her added in the idea of Isa helping him. Anyway, let me know what you think!

Leila paced her room, now on the third floor instead of next to Vlad's, as her emotions rolled dangerously. Today had not been a great day for her emotional well being, what with Vlad telling her she didn't actually love _him_ only a fake image of him and the scorn from people she had once thought of as friends.

It shouldn't hurt as much as it did, Vlad's staff giving her the cold shoulder, but to her surprise she had started to see everyone here as her extended family and the castle had been her home. Now she knew that she had just been deluding herself. These people were Vlad's staff, the reason they had acted friendly was because they would have decorated a pole if they had been anything else.

She had just been too naive to realise it and was hurting now as a result. Once she had broken it off with Vlad, they were free from their obligation to ass kiss with her. Add that to their displeasure with her breaking it off with their boss instead of accepting always being at arms length with him, and you got an extremely cold shoulder.

No matter how much she tried to be angry with them, she couldn't. Hurt was the only thing she felt over the unexpected backstab from almost everyone in the castle. She hadn't thought that they would be ecstatic with her, but she had expected them to not treat her like a disease.

Her stomach rolled painfully, as it had been doing since Isa had refused to let her make her own food in the kitchen and insisted she go back to her room to eat it. Leila had been caught off guard by the coldness and the new rules. Isa had never had a problem with her making her own food before, but after seeing how everyone else reacted to her it didn't surprise her anymore.

Isa and the rest of the staff's hostility had made her nerves stretch to their limit. When Isa had refused to let her make her food, it had sent red flags up in her mind that she had fought past. No matter how angry the staff were with her, they would never tamper with her food. Vlad would be furious. Even as Leila tried to convince herself of that, her rapidly souring stomach and lightheadedness shined doubt through the words.

_You only started feeling off after you ate_, that insidious little voice chimed in. Biting the inside of her cheek, she yanked her thoughts away from the train of thought. She was working herself up over nothing, she was going to go exercise some and she would feel better. The only reason her stomach was acting up was because she was hurt, her emotions had always affected her health. After her mother's death she had barely kept anything down for weeks.

The walk to the gym, while doing her best to not talk or look at anyone, left her feeling even more alienated than she had on the boat. The staff's hostile whispers that she was meant to hear rang in her mind, twisting the blade in her back. She had been a fool to think anyone on Vlad's payroll had been her friend, she should have known better. Resolving to take her mind off it, Leila began her routine while ignoring the increasing offness she felt.

It was many hours later when Leila's training was interrupted, the sound of footsteps sending dread through her. She had been trying to lose herself in her routines, if she pushed herself hard enough she could just hear her mother's voice cheering her on from her early gymnastic days, and the last thing she wanted to deal with was more coldness. Not to mention she had started feeling even worse since earlier, fanning her paranoia to a painful degree. Now it was taking her considerable effort to not puke up everything she had eaten earlier while the world around her seemed to blur into one giant blob of color.

She vaguely heard a familiar feminine voice, but before she could try to work out what the person was saying the edges of her vision began fading. Her leg lost its grip on the rope as her muscles stopped listening to her, she felt the wind whip through her hair as she fell and the pain of the ground when she slammed into it with bruising force.

Sucking in a deep breath, panic flared when her throat tightened to unbarebale degrees. Hacking coughs wracked her body as she tried to roll over onto her side, only for her muscles to spasm and shake. The feminie voice was closer now, sharp with fear as she tried to talk to her. Cracking an eye open, Leila identified the very blurry outline as Sandra.

Panic from lack of air had her gripping Sandra's arm before she could think of the repercussions, immediately images began flashing before her eyes at a rapid pace. When she was back in her body, still desperately trying to choke in air through her closed off throat, confusion added itself to her panic.

Why was Shrapnel green eyeing Sandra? Before she could ponder it anymore, her lungs gave one final wheeze before everything went black. The last thing she heard was Sandra's voice rising in octaves while shouting for the _voivode_.  
_

Vlad walked briskly down the hall toward the gym, a staff member had been sent to retrieve him but they hadn't known why he was needed. They had simply said that Sandra was asking for him and she seemed distressed. He had a bad feeling since he had left Leila in the lounge, but had brushed it off as his emotions being high. Now he wasn't so sure.

He was only two rooms away when he heard Sandra's voice, sharp with terror, cutting through the walls. "Someone call for the _voivode!_ Leila isn't breathing!" He was already running by the time the words and their meaning penetrated his mind.

Leila wasn't breathing. How had this happened? Had she hemorrhaged again? Her abilities had grown so it was possible that it was due to that, but a nagging doubt remained, telling him that it was something else.

He took in the room as he blurred to Leila and Sandra's side, where she had begun giving CPR to the best of her ability. Firmly moving her to the side, Vlad took over after demanding her to explain what had happened. Leila's lips were turning blue, making a stone drop in his stomach. He kept half his attention on Sandra as he began the compressions and breathing.

"I don't know, I came in to greet her and she was exercising. She didn't look right though, her eyes didn't focus on me, almost as if she was seeing through me. When I tried to talk to her, she slipped off the rope and fell. She had trouble breathing, but I thought it was just having the air knocked out of her from landing on her back. But it didn't go away, it continued until she started clawing at her throat." Her words got fainter and fainter until she too began coughing.

Alarm speared through him, reigniting his earlier instinct that said something was amiss. Ordering a guard to give her blood, he stopped giving CPR long enough to slice his hand and slap it over Leila's mouth. It did nothing, making frustration and dread grow in his chest.

What Sandra had described sounded eerily close to poisoning, but that shouldn't be possible. Only the kitchen staff had access to Leila's food and that was only when she didn't make it herself. When his blood had no effect, Vlad cursed lowly. His previous dread transforming into an icy terror when Leila's heart slowed to a stop to match her breathing.

Barking an order for someone to get a hospital bed ready, he scooped her up and ran toward the medic. He kicked the door open before placing her on the empty bed. Every minute her heart laid silent in her chest sent pinpricks of silver through his own heart. Thinking fast, he powered the defibrillator and began trying to shock her back to life.

His blood wouldn't work if her body wasn't alive enough to use it. If he could get her heart started he could use an IV with a direct line to give her his blood. The first few shocks did nothing, making his frustration climb to dangerous heights, until he was ready to throw it across the room.

At the end of his rope, he spun to face the controls and hiked the power to levels that would kill most humans before trying again. He felt more than heard her heart start again, sending a short lived relief through him that ended with a choked wheeze. Her heart was started but she still wasn't breathing.

He swung his arm out, sending the now useless, smoking machine in between him and Leila sailing into the opposite wall, as he hastily hooked up an IV. He was careful to put the needle in her arm correctly, before ruthlessly stabbing the other end into his own arm. It didn't matter where the needle was, he would have to will his blood into it no matter its location.

Her heartbeat fluctuated wildly as her body fought against its lack of oxygen. Careful to not dislodge the IV in his arm, Vlad began CPR again. Leila couldn't breath because something had blocked her throat, if his hunch was right then she had been poisoned and her throat had swollen up from that.

At the moment, the reason behind it mattered none, what did matter was that she wasn't getting air and she needed it. Luckily he had an easy way of fixing that. Locking his mouth onto hers, he pushed air into her lungs manually, breathing for her until she could do it herself.

As his lips sealed to her own after another round of compressions, a fervent thought broke through the mind numbing panic. 'This will not be the last time I kiss you.' If he had to, he could still turn her into a ghoul. While he would have preferred turning her into a vampire due to their sire bond allowing her a direct link into his emotions, if he couldn't get her breathing it wouldn't be an option.

With crystal clarity, Vlad knew that he couldn't allow her to die. If her heart stopped again, he would restart it and if that didn't work he would drag her back from the grave. He couldn't let her die. Not now. He cared too much for her.

The thought of her warmth being absent from his life; never getting to hold her close after a round of passionate love making, never seeing her drowsy smile and her odd lopsided grin, sent despair through him.

Realisation dawned on him, making him pause momentarily in breathing for her. He loved her. It was too late to stop it, she had managed to claw her way into the heart he had sworn to close off after love had almost destroyed him the last time he had opened it. She had waltzed past his shields without his noticing, pulled up a spot and rooted herself in stubbornly.

As he continued breathing, his words from their fight came to mind. His claim that she loved a false image of him while still refusing to love her. Determination filled every corner of his being, those would not be the last words he spoke to her and this would _not_ be the last time he kissed her.

Just as he was about to give in and have one of the ghoul members of his line phoned, Leila dragged in a weak breath on her own. Relief slammed into him with the force of a truck as she continued to slowly drag air into her lungs, his blood taking affect and reducing the swelling in her throat enough for her to do so.

Pulling up a chair, Vlad allowed himself to collapse into it while clasping her too cold hand in his much warmer ones. He had never thought her hands were small before, but they felt too fragile now as they laid limp between his fingers. With a start, he realised that he felt no electricity coming from her. It unnerved him, not feeling her familiar energy pulsing against his skin.

He shook off his wariness, instead focusing on her less frantically beating heart and slowly evening out breathing. Her lungs were still too wheezy for his taste, but they sounded like they were steadily improving with the help from his blood.

Now that she was out of immediate danger of dying, his mind moved on to the very real problem of someone poisoning her. The thought alone seemed preposterous, he had never believed any of his people would stoop so low as to attack her while she was under his roof and yet it had happened. If they had struck while he was gone, Leila might very well have not pulled through. His blood had aged five centuries and it had barely saved her in time, the only other vampire in the castle with blood of similar ability was Maximus. Vlad doubted that anyone would have thought to let him help, not until it was too late. The thought sent a chill down his spine, increasing his resolve to find the one responsible.

He didn't need the doctor to find the traces of poison in her blood for him to know, he had tasted it on her lips. The sharp and burning sensation that had immediately spread to his mouth had further proven his suspicion, not to mention Sandra's immediate reaction.

Now he had to find out who would dare try such a thing with him so close and how they had gotten such a potent poison. He could still faintly feel the burning in his mouth, if he were human it would have traveled through his blood stream until it swelled his throat just as it had Leila's.

There were roughly two dozen members of the staff that frequently worked in the kitchens and only half of those were there today. He would need to stop by the surveillance room and go through the video to find who had tampered with Leila's food. However, as he glanced at her slowly climbing health, he couldn't make himself leave her side.

His revelation came back to him in a burst of feeling, he loved her. After five centuries of keeping his vow to never allow love to take ahold of him, he had fallen to it once again. It filled him with dread, the knowledge that now his enemies would all make Leila their prime target. He now had a very big and obvious weakness and his enemies would waste no time in exploiting it.

The doctor walked in, breaking him from his thoughts. She barely glanced at the broken equipment, showing intelligence in not commenting on it. Instead, she began peppering him with questions about Leila's condition. After fifteen minutes and a swab test, the doctor had confirmed what he had already assumed. Leila had been poisoned. After verifying that it was a fast acting poison and therefore administered today, Vlad sent the swab to the lab for testing.

If he knew what type of poison it was then it would give him more information on who was behind this plot. He should be hunting down the person who did this, pulling every member of the staff in starting with the humans and working his way through the vampires, but as he glanced at Leila's face he couldn't find the willpower to let go of her hand. Someone had tried to kill her and had almost succeeded, until she was awake and alert enough to defend herself, she wasn't leaving his sight.

The doctor had told him that she had dropped into a coma, the damage the poison had done to her immune system on top of her lungs had put her body into emergency shut down. Once she woke up, the worst of the danger would be past. If her condition took a turn for the worse again, he would need to be close to turn her.

Focusing on the doctor, he asked "What kind of after effects will this have once she wakes?" The doctor's grimace was not encouraging and neither were her words.

"I won't lie to you, this isn't going to be an easy or a pretty recovery. For the poison to strike so viciously and quickly without leaving an obvious taste for her to find, it has to have been insanely potent. By the time it got around to closing her throat it had devastated her other bodily systems. Your blood can heal most of it but the after effects will still be there until the last traces of the poison are gone. She will probably experience extreme nausea, possibly muscle cramps, and high fevers until the worst of it passes. I don't advise leaving her alone at any time until those symptoms die down. There are too many things that can go wrong during that stage."

Vlad nodded, he hadn't planned on leaving her alone, not until he had the person who had almost successfully killed her in his dungeon. Once she woke up, he would bring her to his room. He could have the security feed for the kitchen sent to his tablet and care for Leila as he combed through it.

For now he would have to order no one to leave until he had the chance to pinpoint who it was. No reason to neglect due diligence and give them a chance to slip into the background. After sending out the order for no one to leave until he had resolved this, he settled next to Leila's bedside before retaking her hand. He still couldn't feel her electricity, but he was sure once she was conscious it would come back. Until then, he would stand guard himself. He refused to underestimate the person who tried to kill her, it had almost cost him too much already.  
Settling back into the uncomfortable chair, Vlad sighed. What a mess.

Vlad hadn't expected Leila's coma to last more than a few hours, what with his blood being fed to her steadily through the IV. After the first day passed, his wariness had increased. The doctor reassured him that it was normal for her body to take longer to heal, but that didn't mean he had to like it.

His hands still rested in hers two days later, when her eyes fluttered open. The wariness he had felt building since he had heard her heart stop abated, sending relief through his veins. That relief was tempered with remorse when Leila immediately hissed in pain after trying to shift.

Gripping her hand tighter, he gently pressed her back into the bed. "Don't try to get up, you have only just woken from a coma and your body needs rest."

Icy blue eyes stared at him in shock, the disbelief coating her scent further showcasing her surprise. When she spoke, her voice was whispy and had an undertone of exhaustion. "What happened? I remember being in the gym…"

She didn't try to tug her hand away from his, either not noticing or not minding its position. Her eyes fixed on him even as they drooped from exhaustion. "Yes, you were mid routine when Sandra came upon you. You fainted and fell from the rope." He debated over telling her the rest, he didn't want to overwhelm her with the knowledge of her poisoning by someone in the castle, but he knew she would want to know. Making his decision, he continued. "Your throat closed until you were unable to breath, I barely managed to pull you back from the grave in time. Someone slipped poison into your food or drink at some point today. Do you remember anyone acting oddly?"

Leila's face immediately shifted into a mask of realisation, before she blurted. "So she _did_ try to poison me, I thought I was just being paranoid…"

Vlad's eyes narrowed, not liking any part of that sentence. His voice was lethally pleasant when he spoke. "What are you talking about?" Leila shot him a wary look at his tone, before continuing hesitantly.

"I went to the kitchen an hour before I decided to exercise, but when I went to make my own food Isa refused to let me. I felt like something was off, but I assumed it was just everyone acting coldly to me and brushed it off. Wish I hadn't now…" Her last sentence was murmured under her breath, but he caught it.

His mouth twisted into a grimace, Isa had been under his line of decades. After he had saved her as a child, she had sworn loyalty to him and later was turned by him. Why would she have reason to poison Leila? Was it possible it had been someone else in the kitchen and she was merely at the wrong place at the wrong time?

Pushing his thoughts away, he focused on Leila. He could be sure later, after he found some time to look through the surveillance. For now he needed to focus on Leila's recovery. The assassin had been bold enough to strike under his roof, which meant whoever they are they are confident he wouldn't suspect them. Rage flared in his chest, Leila had brushed her worries to the side because she trusted that no one in his home would harm her. Now she didn't have that assurance anymore.

He had promised her when their relationship began that she was safe in his home, that nothing would harm her here. Someone had made him break that promise to his lover, and he _would_ find them and make them pay for it.

Leila grimaced, trying to move again only to be met with the same pain in her muscles and a slowly building nausea in her stomach. "Must have been one heck of a poison, because I feel like shit and that's with your blood on tap."

Her attempt at humor did nothing to lighten the situation, instead it fouled his mood further. "Yes, it is potent. Potent enough that Sandra started to cough from merely having contact with you after giving you CPR. Once the lab finds out what it is, we will be one step closer to finding who all was behind this."

When she looked like she was going to speak, despite her obvious exhaustion and pain, Vlad brushed his mouth over her forehead. "Leave this topic for when you are well, you need to rest now. I will be bringing you to my room momentarily for you to recover. It should only take a day or two for the worst of the effects to settle, but I will be keeping a close eye on you until you are better again."

Confusion immediately painted itself across her face, "Why your room?" The last time they had talked, it had sounded like she wouldn't be going back there anytime soon.

Catching her thoughts, he grimaced. He wasn't about to tell her of his newly unburied feelings while she was bed ridden from poison. No, better to nurse her back to health and then tell her. He could tell her some of the truth until then though, no need for her to worry needlessly over where she stood with him.

His hands cupped her face, he pretended not to notice how she had to fight her habit of leaning into his touch, before he spoke. "Someone in my home has tried to kill you and if I hadn't been nearby they may have succeeded. No matter how we may fight, I would never allow such a thing to happen to you while you are in a relationship with me. You will stay with me, in my room, until you are able to defend yourself or I have caught the person behind the plot. Whichever happens first."

His words relaxed her, especially his use of current tense when discussing their relationship. Usually the thought of having someone take care of her was abhorrent, but if it was Vlad she didn't mind, to her surprise.

After her nod of understanding, Vlad stood before addressing the doctor. After some last minute examinations, he lifted her into his arms before turning toward the door. As he began walking to his room, Leila sank into the familiar warmth. There was no guarantee that after she was recovered she would get to feel it again, so may as well enjoy it while it lasts.

Pulling the blankets back, Vlad slid Leila underneath the comforter. In the few minutes it had taken him to walk to the fourth floor, she had dozed back into a peaceful sleep. His body heat had been a natural relaxant for her since their relationship had begun, so it didn't surprise him when she wasn't awake for long while cradled in his arms.

Once she was comfortably tucked in, the comforter looking ridiculously big with how she had it pulled up to her chin, he settled himself next to her with his tablet. His fingers hovered over the screen as another thought came to him. Standing again, he left only to return with a garbage can, placing it next to the bed.

With that done, he resettled over the covers and began to watch the footage from the morning to the afternoon. There were many hours of footage to sift through and he refused to rush on the chance he missed an important detail.

His concentration was broken an hour later when Leila jerked upright only to hiss before falling back down. He heard the tell tale sounds of nausea turning her stomach and reached for the can, placing it in her lap just in time.

Gathering her hair into his hand, while ignoring the unpleasant smells and sounds, he dutifully rubbed her back until she was finished. Shakily placing the can on the floor, she winced as she settled back against his side. "If you want to bail, I won't hold it against you. This smells bad to me, so it must be even worse for you." Her thoughts added on, _And I really don't want you to see me like this, I already have enough reasons to be self conscious around you._

Putting his tablet to the side, Vlad slid down until he laid parallel with her body. His hand gripped hers, before he spoke. "I won't be leaving you to fight through this alone. You have nothing to be self conscious about, you are human and these are natural parts of you. I knew that when I decided to date you and I haven't miraculously changed my mind since then. I can't offer much aid in this situation, but I can offer comfort."

So saying, he stroked his thumb against her hand. The touch offering more comfort than she had expected from such a small gesture. His other hand brought a thermometer to her mouth, which she obediently opened for.

Having someone to take care of her was a foreign feeling, especially during times when she was sick. It had always been her mother who had helped her, what with her father being cold and her sister being more likely to make it worse. It was...nice to have someone care for her again. Warmth that didn't originate from his body heat spread through her chest as he pulled the blanket tighter around her. Yes, it was very nice…

Hearing her thoughts made irritation flare in Vlad, he knew that Leila hadn't had much support from Hugh growing up, but surely he had helped her during these times? The question plagued him until he finally decided to voice it. "Where was your father during these times in your youth? You were too young to do such things as use the stove when your mother first passed, he must have left you with someone?" While the sentence was made as a question, underneath it was a steely anger. He had a feeling he wasn't going to like this conversation.

He was right. Leila looked at him incredulously, her tone speaking her thoughts on the matter better than her words did. "For the most part, I was the one watching over Gretchen and we didn't need a sitter. Our Aunt came occasionally, but she had her own life. When Dad was home and I was sick, I was still expected to handle it on my own. It wasn't like he could touch me, even if he hadn't blamed me for Mom's death. The only other person who was home was Gretchen, who was more likely to slip something into my food because she thought my reaction was funny than to actually help."

Clenching his unoccupied hand underneath the sheets, Vlad had to bite back the urge to tell her exactly what he thought of her father's neglect and her sister's spite. To leave a sick child alone, while expecting them to not only take care of themselves but also a younger sibling, was beyond neglect. Everytime he heard more about her past, after her mother's death, he only became more enraged. He wasn't surprised in the slightest to hear Leila's estimation of Gretchen. Displeased, yes, but not surprised.

Forcing his anger back to be dealt with at a more appropriate time, he refocused on Leila while gripping her hand. "He should have stayed by your side, regardless. Even if he couldn't touch you, he could have made you food or taken care of your sister. There is nothing to excuse his actions in leaving a sick child in charge of another child." His tone was set in determination, instead of denying his words or trying to defend her father, Leila surprised him.

"Oh, you're completely right. I couldn't tell you how many times I raged at him mentally for leaving me with Gretchen during those times, but speaking up would have only made it worse." After shaking off his surprise, Vlad wrapped his arms around Leila, offering her what comfort he could.

"Good, I'm glad you place the blame on its rightful owner. Now, you need to rest. The doctor said you have a high chance of fever, as well as muscle cramps. When you wake next, if you feel up to it, I will call for food. You can't neglect yourself, especially not while you're recovering."

When she opened her mouth to object, he dragged his hand through her hair. The pressure on her scalp immediately making her eyes droop with exhaustion. She was asleep in minutes, to Vlad's amusement. That trick always worked and he could only hope it continued to do so in the future when she turned into a vampire.

He readjusted himself back to a sitting position, while never breaking his rhythmic stroking. If Leila did acquire a fever then sleep would be difficult or uneasy, better for her to get as much as possible now while she was able to. He propped the tablet on his leg, careful not to disturb Leila's head as she unconsciously shuffled into his lap, before resuming his careful examination.

The next time Leila woke, it was all she could do not to cry. Her muscles felt like they were shredding, she felt freezing cold, and her stomach felt like it was trying to finish the job the poison failed at. Gripping the garbage can next to the bed, Leila barely shifted over it in time to empty her stomach.

When the heaves finally stopped, she pushed herself back onto the bed with the rest of her willpower before flopping bonelessly onto the sheets. Her muscles tensed and released in quick succession, sending sharp bursts of pain through them while she shivered from the cold.

Through the fog her mind seemed to be drowned in, she noticed three things. One, the comforter had been replaced by a thin sheet and she dearly missed the warmer blanket. Two, her body felt like every cell was ripping itself apart. And three, Vlad wasn't in the room with her. After his impassioned speech, she figured she wouldn't be without him anytime soon. To her surprise, she felt a flash of genuine hurt, before she quickly stomped it down with practiced ease.

Vlad was a master of a very old and powerful line, he didn't have time to play nurse for her while she recovered. Especially given that he had to track down whoever did this to her. Trying to move her limbs only resulted in pain and another round of nausea, to her frustration. How was she supposed to take care of herself if she couldn't even lift her torso?

"That would be what I am here for." Vlad had chosen that moment to reenter the room, responding to her frustrated thought. He glanced at her pathetic attempts to move with a raised eye brow. "I believe I told you to not move until you've recovered more. I was merely ordering some soup from the kitchen, I hadn't wanted to risk waking you by talking with the staff in here."

So saying, he gently pressed her back down. His fingers stroking her shoulder before migrating to run through her hair. Leila felt a flash of unease at the thought of eating anything made out of the kitchen's without being able to see it made. Before she could mask her new fear or her thoughts, Vlad scowled.

When she went to apologize, he cut her off firmly. "There is no need for apologies, you were only just poisoned by someone in that very kitchen. It is entirely logical that you aren't comfortable with the idea of eating anything made from the same kitchen. I could oversee it, but that requires leaving you alone while I do so. I don't relish the thought of you being defenseless without me near."

Leila would never admit it out loud, but she appreciated his refusal to leave her side. With her inability to even lift her arm, the idea of her attacker coming to finish her off was all too frightening. It was also nice how serious he was taking her fear, despite her knowing the likelihood of the person trying the same method twice was minimal. Instead of brushing it to the side or disregarding it, he was working with her to find a solution.

Even through her cotton stuffed head and woozy feelings, she felt her love for him flare. The feeling bringing equal parts pain and comfort. He was being nice, but she couldn't let her emotions get any further entangled with his. It would only lead to pain.

Vlad listened quietly to her thoughts, but didn't comment. Her fever had skyrocketed to the point she had forgotten he could hear her thoughts and he wasn't about to profess his love until she was mentally able to respond.

Instead, he redirected her attention. "Well that only leaves one other option." Before she could open her mouth, he scooped her up under her knees and lifted her into his arms. Her face, which had been flushed from fever before, was now even redder from embarrassment.

"What are you doing?" Her voice had a slight slur, which combined with her red cheeks, made her the poster child of sickness. The sight twisted something in his chest before he focused on her again.

"I am bringing you with me to the kitchens. I won't leave you here, but you don't feel safe eating food made out of your sight, understandably so. However, you need food to replenish the mass amounts of energy you expended fighting off the poison. You are in no shape to be cooking, which means the only candidate left who can make it is me, therefore I will."

Leila stared up at him in shock as he breezed through the hallways to the kitchen. She hadn't known he knew how to make human food. And she had never expected him to make her anything even if he had known how to make it.

Vlad's voice broke her from her thoughts, "I know how to make a few dishes, but as you can guess I haven't needed the knowledge in quite some time. A simple soup shouldn't be beyond my ability though."

Dropping the subject, she cuddled closer into his shoulder, his natural body heat chasing away some of the fever chills. She let out a quiet noise of protest when he tugged her back from his neck. "You have a fever that is still climbing, stop trying to sap warmth from me. If it doesn't break soon I'll be giving you a lukewarm bath and more medicine."

The thought of him bathing her made unease sit in her chest, no matter what he said about her not needing to be self conscious, it was weird to think of him washing her when she couldn't do it herself.

Vlad snorted at her thoughts, "If the idea is so abhorrent to you then do your best to not raise your temperature." He cleared the kitchen doorway just as he finished his sentence, the staff all freezing at the sight of him carrying Leila.

After a growled order to vacate the kitchen, which they quickly did, he placed Leila on top of the counter and leaned her back against the cupboards. Once he was sure she wouldn't fall off, he gathered the ingredients he still remembered to this day.

Sensing Leila's curiosity, he answered her question before she could voice it. "While I don't know many recipes, this was the one my mother used to have made for me when I was sick. It should work fine for you."

The knowledge that he was making her something his mother had used to make for him warmed Leila throughout, in a completely different way than her currently high temperature. It was always fascinating to hear more about his life before his capture. The thought of him being anything other than the terrifying and lethal man she loved was hard to imagine, but she knew that at one point he had been a child like any other. Although his innocence hadn't lasted nearly as long as it should have.

Vlad glanced at her in confusion, he had told her before that if she ever had questions about him she could ask. If she had wondered about his life pre-capture why hadn't she brought it up? The answer came immediately, she would never ask on the off chance it was a sensitive topic. He made a mental note to bring this back up when she was in her right mind. It wasn't painful to remember his life before his imprisonment and rape anymore, any questions she asked he would answer.

When he finishes the soup, he puts it in her arms with a warning to keep it steady as he picks her up once more. He speaks lowly enough for only her to hear when she goes to question his actions. "You can't lift your limbs right now, I didn't think you would appreciate having the staff see you being spoon fed."

Shame crawled up her spine in the next instant, sending more blood to her face as she agrees quietly. Vlad cuts off her self reprimanding thoughts over her own helplessness. "You barely survived a poisoning attempt and your body is still fighting off the after affects. Don't try to push yourself too far too fast. I am here to help with these things, relax and let me."

Letting the thoughts go for the moment, Leila nods against his chest. Eyes drooping as the fuzzy feeling in her head increased. Vlad nudged her awake, "While you do need sleep, you shouldn't doze off while holding the soup. You may burn yourself on accident." Humming in agreement, she forced herself to focus.

By the time he crossed the doorway to his room, Leila was as alert as she would get. Placing her on the bed, he slid behind her to prop her up straight. One of his arms stayed wrapped around her chest, to keep her upright, while the other situated the bowl and spoon in her lap.

The task of feeding her wasn't difficult, although he had to nudge her awake every now and then. Her embarrassment had faded after the first few spoonfuls, her hunger taking over it. Once finished, she slumped back against his chest and sighed happily.

Placing the empty bowl to the side, Vlad turned her around before pulling her against his chest. He hadn't expected her to eat all of the soup, what with her stomach acting up. While he was glad she had, with her needing to build her strength, it confused him.

Leila glanced up at him, catching his eyes and seeing his curiosity. She nudged his side, the limit of how far she could reach, before urging him to speak up. "What are you thinking about?"

He shifted his arm underneath her head as a makeshift pillow before responding. "What with your stomach being in its current state I didn't expect you to devour the soup as you did. It is good that you ate, I was merely curious where your hunger came from."

Leila flushed, turning the light pink fever cheeks to a burning hot red before replying. "It's been forever since someone made me soup when I was sick, although this is an extreme situation. The fact that it's you that did it makes it even better."

Her gratitude, while appreciated, aggravated him. She shouldn't need to take care of herself in this type of situation when she had people around her who were capable of helping. He grit his teeth and added another thing to his ever growing list of reasons he detested Hugh Dalton.

Choosing to run his fingers through her hair instead of commenting, he watched as Leila fought against sleep valiantly. Her words making a smile tug on his lips, "You know, for someone who doesn't have to eat, you are a good cook. Thank you for the soup, it was great."

He was glad it had come out well, it _had_ been centuries since he had last used that recipe. It would have been bad if he had forgotten something and inadvertently made her condition worse.

"You are welcome, although I regret the circumstances of the situation, I didn't mind making you it. If you have continued problems with eating food from the kitchen, maybe I will decide to make you more." He had been surprised when he had actually enjoyed making her food, instead of it just being something he had to do. While he couldn't cook for her often, the rumors would spread like wildfire if he did, he could possibly do so on special occasions.

He was broken out of his thoughts by a slight snore, Leila's eyes were shut while her fingers were intertwined with his. He was surprised she had stayed awake as long as she had. With any luck she would stay asleep for at least a few more hours, but with her building fever he wouldn't hold out hope. Shifting to sit against the headboard, he reached for the tablet again. He still had an assassin to catch, after all.  
_

Vlad kept still as rage and disbelief roared through him, not wanting to wake Leila who had once again migrated to his lap in her sleep. He had replayed the video multiple times, but it only cemented the truth in his mind. It _had_ been Isa who had poisoned Leila, the clear picture of her mixing the bottle into Leila's food was undeniable.

It made no sense though, why would she try to kill Leila? His people had liked her well enough, and while he knew their breakup had caused tensions amongst the staff, he had never expected that to escalate to an assassination attempt.

The reminder of his staff's behavior toward Leila made him grimace. While he had been displeased and irritated with her for ending their relationship, his staff should have never gotten involved. What he and Leila did in their relationship was no one else's concern but theirs. He would have to address that after he dealt with Isa.

Sighing, Vlad spoke lowly into his phone, ordering the guards to bring Isa to the dungeon. Glancing at Leila's heavily flushed face, he added on an order for Shrapnel to come to his room.

It shouldn't take him long to question Isa and find out where she had gotten such a poison from. He could return to Leila's side afterwards, Isa would still be in the dungeon waiting for him to torture her later. He still felt uneasy at the thought of leaving Leila while she was fever stricken, but he needed to be sure Isa's accomplice was apprehended as well. He had already waited too long, he should have done this days ago but he couldn't leave her side then.

He would station Shrapnel outside his bedroom door, question Isa, apprehend the accomplice and then go back to Leila. Her fever only seemed to be rising, if it continued he would have to give her that bath after all. She may not even be conscious for it if her temperature rose any higher.

He was broken out of his thoughts by Shrapnel knocking on the door. Carefully rising as to not wake Leila, using a pillow to substitute his thigh, he moved to address the head of his guards. "I need to have a chat with Isa in the dungeons. You are to stay here and guard the door until I return. No one other than me goes through, if you move from this spot I will personally put you on a pole until next Christmas."

Shrapnel bowed smartly, before straightening and taking his position. Nodding in approval, Vlad returned to Leila. Stroking his hand down her back, he spoke low enough for only her to hear, if she could hear anything through her fever. "I will be in the dungeon for a few moments. If you feel even slightly uneasy or like the poison is coming back link to me immediately." When he went to stand, he was stopped when her hand weakly gripped his jacket sleeve.

Her voice was a whisper to the point he could barely hear it despite their close proximity. "Don't go. I don't want to be alone anymore." _Everything hurts and I can't move. If someone attacks I can't save myself right now._ Her thoughts were as quiet as her voice, proof of her fever increasing.

Both her plea to not leave her alone and her fear of being harmed sent pain through his heart. For a moment he debated sending Shrapnel down to the dungeon to handle Isa, he was more than capable, after all.

Shaking his head, Vlad forced himself to refuse her despite everything in his being not wanting to leave her side while she was defenseless. Kneeling to be at her level, he stroked her cheek as he soothed her fear. "I will be back soon, I must apprehend the one who poisoned you before they can slip away. Once that is finished, I will be by your side until you are well again. As for your muscle pain, I have Shrapnel stationed outside the room. No one will get to you and when I return I will see if I can't do something about that. The doctor mentioned massaging the muscles may loosen them, we will have to try when I return."

He was careful when he unwound her hand from his coat, before placing it with her other hand on her chest. He brushed a kiss against her head before rising to his full height. He breezed out the door with a nod to Shrapnel, he had a prisoner to get answers from.

Standing in front of Isa's cell, her body impaled by silver spikes and suspended in midair, he felt no pity for her. She didn't try to seem innocent or act as if she knew nothing of why she was here. Her acceptance of the situation further confused him.

"Why did you poison Leila and who is your accomplice? Don't try to convince me you don't have one either, that poison was from an extremely rare frog in the amazon rainforest. You would have needed to leave the castle in the last few weeks to get your hands on that poison and you have been working all of your shifts."

Isa kept her head high even as blood streaked through her silver hair, the crimson seeping into the locks and turning them a filthy faded red. Her mouth set in a determined line, her tone showing no remorse when she answered. "I did it because she had no right to refuse you in such a way. To end your relationship, after you explicitly told her of your refusal to love her, was childish and spoiled. It wasn't only I who was enraged when the news came to us, many of the staff were. That she would dare do such a thing after everything you offered her? I have no remorse for trying to kill her, my only regret was that I didn't succeed."

The words were barely out of her mouth before flames burst to life on her flesh. Her screams rang out a second later as Vlad bit back his rage. His people's loyalty was one of his biggest prides, but he had never expected it to come back to bite him in such a manner. He should have shut his people's disquiet down the first day he had heard the whispers, but he hadn't and now Leila paid his price.

Waving the flames away for a moment, ignoring the new smell of charred flesh, he spoke in his most lethally pleasant tone. "You only answered one of my questions and you know I detest repeating myself."

Her skin was splitting, showing the sensitive red skin underneath before it slowly healed over. Her reply changed his anger to dread. "He knew that you would never expect him and he was right. Tell me sire, who did you leave with her that you believed without a doubt that she would be safe with?"

Suddenly, Leila's warning came back to him. _I can't save myself._ Had she somehow known that Shrapnel had a hand in her almost death? Or had she simply had a bad feeling and spoke from that?

Vlad's thoughts whirled as he ran with blurring speed toward his bedroom. He barked orders for the guards to follow him, only to almost trip when the familiar voice suddenly broke through his own thoughts. Only one word, but it was heavy with enough fear to send his previous dread into a soul deep terror. His name echoed in his mind, Leila's voice stronger than when he had left her, but bolstered by her fear and pain.

Ignoring the stairs, he hurtled straight up through the two floors still between him and Leila. He couldn't waste a single moment, Shrapnel would know to tear Leila apart so he couldn't revive her as a ghoul. Self reprimandation rang through him as he broke through the final floor, he should never have left her side. His instincts had raged at him and Leila had begged him not to, but he had and now all he could do was pray he wasn't too late in saving her.

The instant his feet touched the floor of his room, his rage sky rocketed to an all consuming level. Shrapnel had Leila pinned to their bed, a knife lodged into her chest and his hand on her neck. Vlad saw as the muscles tensed to tear her head from her body, he lunged forward and ripped Shrapnel off of Leila.

The look of dawning realisation on his face and the dread that overshadowed it would have sent Vlad into a killing frenzy unlike any before, if it weren't for the soft choking sounds coming from the bed.

Growling deeply, he threw Shrapnel to the guards with an order to bring him to the dungeon and restrain him. Turning his attention to Leila, he ripped a fang across his wrist in the same moment as he picked her up to cradle her to his chest.

Pressing his wrist to her mouth, he gently massaged her throat when the muscles spasmed instead of swallowing. Her heart beat erratically, as if trying to force its way out of her chest. Instead of starting to heal, a gurgling noise came from her before his blood was violently coughed back up.

Curses pulled from him as he desperately tried to get his blood to stay in her long enough to take effect. Using his blood stained hand, he cradled her jaw and turned her to face him. "Leila, you need to drink! You've lost too much blood."

Instead of her throat beginning to swallow, her eyes filled with tears that burned like silver through his chest. Her thoughts reached him as her heart jolted to a stop, the words etching into his memory and sending pain careening through his very soul. _You were wrong, I do love the real you. I only wish you could have loved me…_

Her final thoughts and her previous plea not to leave her alone ripped through his mind. Knowing there was no time to try to restart her heart, his resolve steeled. There was only one course of action for him to take and despite his loathing to turn her without her permission beforehand, there was no other option. She could spend the rest of their lives raging at him, just as long as she lived to do so.

His teeth sank into her throat in the next instant, deep pulls draining her as quickly as possible before jerking back. Ripping the knife out of her chest, he cut a deep line against his throat before placing her mouth directly under the cut. He willed out his blood, filling her mouth and pressing against her throat to make her swallow more.

Minutes passed with no telltale flux in energy, sending a new wave of rage and despair through him. He had wanted to change her so she could feel his emotions through their sire tie, but it looked as if that tie wouldn't be made after all. Lowering her gently to his lap, he reached for his phone to call the nearest ghoul in his line only for her body to suddenly jerk up.

Before his next thought, her mouth was latched onto his throat. The deep sucking pulls of his blood sent relief shooting through his veins. He cradled her closer, encouraging her to take her fill before forcibly yanking her back. Her teeth snapped threateningly at being pulled away from what her instincts demanded her to feed from, but he blocked the sound out as he waited for her to enter the initial phase of turning.

In the next moment she went limp in his arms, he could see from where her mouth laid open as her blunt teeth sharpened to pointed canines. It was done. Equal parts relief and concern flared in him as he scooped her up before walking toward the room designed for newly turned vampires.

It would be disorienting and overwhelming at first, she may even be distraught at being changed without her consent, but he would help her through it. _I don't want to be alone anymore._ She never had to worry about being alone again, he would be forever more by her side. He had just ensured it.

When she woke he would tell tell her of his love for her, no more waiting. He had waited long enough and she had almost died believing that he cared for her no more than average. She would know her worth to him, just as soon as she woke up and exited the blood craze.

The first thing Leila noticed when she woke up was the firey pain that engulfed her from head to toe, although the worst of it seemed to center in her throat and stomach. A sharp, metallic scent hit her nose and before her next thought she was up and had pounced on something. Dimly, through the pain and fire that seemed to flow through her veins, she realized that she was biting something. Someone, her mind inputted when the object between her teeth fed the burning hunger that was now housed in her stomach.

The thought didn't bother her like she knew that it should. The only thing she could think of was the relief as the pain faded to the back of her mind. Opening her eyes was an ordeal, but she struggled through for her curiosity's sake. The sight that met her had her releasing her death grip on what she could now see was Vlad's arm and bodily throwing herself back.

Vlad's entire front was coated in blood, making him look like a horror movie actor, and the deep gash on his arm that she had previously been attached to was already mostly healed. A sick sense of realization came over her as she took in his appearance and her new demanding hunger. He had changed her.

She could vaguely remember him leaving and Shrapnel entering his room, but after that things got fuzzy. Turning her head to take in the room in a search for a distraction from her thoughts, panic immediately slammed through her everything blurred into one giant blob of color. "Why can't I see!?"

Her voice sounded booming to her own ears, making pain grind against the ear drum as if she had run her finger nails across a chalkboard. Vlad's hands cupped her face, holding it in place when she tried to struggle free from fear.

"There is nothing wrong with your eyes, you are moving too quickly for your sight to take in your surroundings." His voice was low, thankfully not sending pain shooting through her skull like her own voice had. He kept his hold until the colors shifted to shapes and those shapes formed Vlad.

He looked exactly as she remembered and yet completely different at the same time. Now she could see a small scar on his nose, among many other miniscule details she had failed to see before. She took him in as the world around her slowly came into focus.

They were in a blank room that if it weren't for the lack of cells and chains she would confuse with the dungeons. Glancing down, she noted the blank mattress underneath them, the only piece of furniture in the room.

Her mind wandered back to her original train of thought, now that her previous panic over her sight had abated. What had happened that had made changing her necessary? Her lack of a heartbeat cemented the situation in her mind. Closing her eyes against the tears she felt building, she tried to wall off her emotions before they became anymore overwhelming to no success.

She felt the trail the tears left as they slid down her cheeks despite her best efforts. Shame added itself to the melting pot of emotions currently rolling under her skin.

Warm, scarred hands brushed the tears away. Resting on either side of her jaw, they stroked against her cheek and caught the rest of the tears as they fell. Remorse suddenly bloomed in her chest, to her surprise. She didn't have anything to feel regretful of, so why was she feeling…

It clicked, that wasn't her remorse. Vlad had changed her, which meant she now had the tie he shared with any other vampire he had sired. This was his remorse, over changing her? She needed answers.

Starting with the first thing that came to mind, Leila spoke as lowly as she could. "I can feel you…" Vlad's face pulled down into a grimace, before the remorse suddenly disappeared as if it were never there.

"Yes, as you have probably guessed already, I had to change you." The words carried a hard tone, but Leila knew that his anger wasn't at her.

Biting her lip, she pushed on to the next most important question, "What happened? I don't remember anything after you left the room to head to the dungeons."

Vlad's face visibly darkened several shades, if he had been aiming that face at her she would have been terrified. But she knew that he wasn't angry with her so she waited for his reply.

It came not a moment later, "Shrapnel was the one to give Isa the poison she used on you. You linked to me while I was in the dungeon, I had stationed him outside of this room before I left. I barely managed to make it to your side before he separated your head from your shoulder. If I had been seconds later…"

His voice had a dark undercurrent that sent a shiver down her spine. His shields cracked until she felt his remorse from before, and his fear. She hadn't thought he was capable of feeling this kind of fear but now the proof brushed against her conscious as if it were her own.

This was going to take some getting used to, while the notion of spending years feeling his emotions and learning everything that made Vlad who he was enticed her. She couldn't shake the pain from the sudden and jarring loss of her humanity.

Besides, their relationship was still in limbo. Vlad had stayed by her side while she recovered and made her soup, but he could have been doing it because it had been his people who had caused her to be in that position.

He had told her multiple times that he would never love her, but if that was the case then why had he changed her? Why had he made it so she would feel his emotions until she died? If their relationship was truly over then this was the cruelest torture he could poosibly do, making her able to feel how little he cared for her.

When she spoke again, her voice was smaller than she had wanted it to come out as. "Why did you bring me back?" She didn't need to say anything else, her eyes dug into his own as her pain seemed to fester in her veins.

His scowl softened and his eyes warmed from their previous darkness. His hands pulled her forward from their position cradling her jaw, his mouth placing the most tender kiss he had given her yet on her lips.

Instead of answering, a new emotion flooded her mind. The intensity of it would have knocked her off her feet if she hadn't been sitting down. It was too all consuming to be called infatuation, but too wild to be what she had always considered love to feel like. His emotions wrapped around her like a shield as what had to have been his love, brushed against her mind from all sides.

Vlad pulled back, curling his emotions back behind their shield wordlessly. "The reason I changed you was because I refuse to relinquish you to the grave without a fight. Over the past few months of our relationship, and the month of our separation, I have tried to distance myself from you. I told myself I couldn't love you and even watched you leave to convince myself that you meant no more to me than my previous lovers."

His hands heated up as his eyes smoldered bright green, "But I was wrong. I was desperate to believe I couldn't love you because the last time I felt love it had almost destroyed me. Nothing else I had ever felt before had come so close to ending me, so I swore to myself to never fall prey to it again. And yet, as I sat at your bedside after your poisoning and again when I couldn't save you in my bedroom, I realized it was too late."

His mouth brushed her own as he breathed the words she had ached to hear since he had proclaimed his refusal to love her at the beginning of their relationship. "I love you, Leila Dalton, and nothing you or I could do will change that."

Tears filled her eyes again, but this time an all encompassing joy was their cause. She had never known happiness could feel like this, every part of her body felt bubbly and warm. Especially where his hands cupped her mouth and his lips brushed her face.

Bringing her own hands up to cover his, she answered through her tight throat. "I love you too, I'm more happy than I know what to do with. I thought that you wouldn't…" She trailed off as relief intertwined with her joy, the thought of living possibly millennia while feeling nothing more than slight affection from him had been terrifying. It was all she could do not to collapse from relief that she wouldn't have to live that life.

Again his mouth twisted harshly, his tone carrying all of his remorse when he spoke. "Yes, so did I. But you proved to be the exception to _all_ of my rules, much to my surprise. Now that I have realized the full extent of my emotions, it only leaves one thing to do."

Leila felt curiosity through her wildly swinging emotions, what could he possibly be talking about? Before she could ask, his next words completely blew her away. "I will marry you, that way no person can tear you from my side."

Blinking, Leila could feel as her brain gave the blue error screen as it tried to take in what he just said. "Won't I be a blood crazed lunatic for the next week? It's not safe for the staff for us to get married right now." Okay that wasn't what she had wanted to say, but it was another good point.

Vlad's smile turned challenging, "I wasn't going to throw you over my shoulder and drag you to the altar right now. I will see you out of your blood craze and help you adjust to your new senses. Then we will be married."

The room felt like it was spinning again as she tried to take everything in. Her next question was the one she had meant to say first, before her original one. "I don't think I agreed to this? You also haven't asked me yet…"

Vlad's smile disappeared immediately. "You're saying no?"

Caught completely off guard, Leila tried to speak only for a jumbled mess to fall out. "Well, no. I don't mean no as in no..."

Her mind whirled as it tried desperately to settle on just one question. Eventually blurting out the first question that came to mind. "Why are you suddenly wanting to marry me? Less than two months ago you were scoffing at the idea as if it were pathetic I even suggested it."

His arms wrapped around her before tightening until their bodies were pressed together. "As I said before, I was still trying to convince myself that you meant nothing to me. What did you expect once you made me realize I loved you? That we would date more? As if I would settle for anything less than making you completely mine in every way possible, for everyone to know."

Through her joy over his words, she continued with her questions. He couldn't be serious about marrying her that soon, right? "Okay, I get that part and I am very glad you think so but there's no way you can get everything ready in a week. I'd want our wedding to be special and we haven't planned anything, you don't have a best man and my father is more likely to stake himself than walk me down the aisle."

The truth of that last statement hurt to say, when she had been a young girl and dreamed of her wedding the only thing that had mattered to her had been the people she loved being there. She had imagined her father walking her down the aisle, her mother crying happy tears while helping her get ready for the big day, and the man who she would spend her life with waiting for her at the altar.

As it stood, the only thing that would be coming true from that pipe dream was Vlad being at the altar.

His mouth pulled down sharply at the mention of her father, pulling her into an embrace wordlessly, knowing how much her father's rejection still stung. Brushing his lips against her head, he spoke. "While I could easily control your father's mind into agreeing, I know that isn't what you want. But he is never going to approve of us. If you are waiting for that for us to marry then it won't happen at all. As for my best man, he can be on his way at a moment's notice and we have the rest of the week of your blood craze to plan it. I have no preferences and am happy to go along with most anything you could think of. The only thing that matters to me is that you are there with me."

Biting the inside of her cheek, Leila turned over his words silently. He was right about her father, she wouldn't refuse Vlad's offer of marriage for approval that was never coming. And they _would_ have the next week to plan, although the thought of putting a wedding together in that time was daunting she knew that he could have it done in the day if he wanted to.

With no other arguments, she looked into his eyes before saying one last, weak rebuttal. "You still haven't asked me…"

His eyes changed from their previous impassioned green, to his usual intense copper before a challenging and inviting gleam appeared in them.

Shock rocked through her when he slowly lowered himself to his knees in front of her. His hands curled around hers and his voice rang with all the emotions she could feel whirling from their bond. "Leila Dalton, my one true love. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

The last of her arguments fell away, she barely managed to answer him before he had her bent backwards in a soul searing kiss. They had plenty of trials ahead, getting married wouldn't suddenly change any of their problems, but it did mean that they were facing them together.


	33. Incubus

Vlad glowered at the male standing in front of him. He was tall, towering by most people's standards, and his every cell wreaked of sexual intentions. Everything from the tips of his hair down to the shoes he wore seemed chosen to rile the lust of any person who desired males, and possibly a few who didn't.

It hadn't been Vlad's wish to have this man in his home, he certainly hadn't wanted Ian here but somehow this was the result. Ian had needed to talk to Leila about something, however while he and Vlad had been silently staring one another down in the waiting room as Leila made herself ready, this man appeared seemingly out of thin air.

By the knowing smile on his lips, he knew Ian. However every bone in Vlad's body burned with the need to eject him from his home. Nothing about him seemed threatening, well not life threatening. He could possibly be threatening to multiple people's sexuality, but Vlad wasn't one of them.

Every instinct in him drove Vlad to get rid of him, and by the smirk curling the unknown man's mouth, he knew how Vlad was feeling and possibly the reason for it.

When the mystery man spoke, his voice was low and further grated on Vlad's nerves. He had never loathed anyone so much on mere meetings and his reaction mystified him, but he would ponder it later once he didn't have an unknown potentially hostile man in his home.

"No worries about the hostility you are feeling. Anyone who is in a relationship and is faithful has that reaction. Well, anyone who isn't attracted to my gender and is in a faithful relationship. Otherwise, you'd be too swamped with lust to be enraged at my presence."

The words cleared nothing up and Vlad stayed on guard as the man turned to Ian. "Ian, I have a favor that I need to call in."

Ian scoffed, "Now isn't exactly a great time for it. You should have called, my cell hasn't changed."

As they chatted back and forth about this favor, Vlad's irritation grew. He snapped, stopping their conversation and bringing the attention to him. "Who are you and what did you mean, anyone who is faithful would feel this way?" He leveled his most intimidating glower at the man, but he just smiled back at him, to Vlad's rage.

"You may call me Damien, and as for the way you're feeling right now? I am an Incubus. It is my nature to call out to the sexual urges of those around me. You aren't attracted to males, not even a little bit. That is rare, but it means you see me as I am. However, anyone else who is attracted to men would see me as what they find most appealing."

As what he now knew was a demon continued explaining, Vlad's irritation with the man in his home grew. A being of pure sexual energy, in a room that his wife was heading towards. He trusted Leila without hesitation, but he still didn't want her anywhere near this thing. Damien's voice dragged his attention back to him, as Vlad's previous question was answered.

"People who are attracted to males will lust after me. However, people like you who aren't attracted to me but have a partner who would be are defensive. You may not have known what I was when I first appeared but your instincts labeled me as a threat immediately. No, not a threat. They label me as competition, because your chosen mate will see what they desire most when they look at me. Nothing riles your instincts more than the possible threat of a mate being taken. No worries though, I'm here for Ian and nothing else."

Vlad's voice was whiplike when he spoke, his anger held on a short leash. "I have no fear of you _taking _Leila, because she would never go with you. I do, however, want you out of my home immediately. You can find Ian afterward."

Damien looked at him calmly, not fazed by the obvious rage exuding off of Vlad. A slow smile pulled at his lips, "Okay then, if you're so sure then prove it. There are rare exceptions where a partner will love their chosen one so much that they won't be affected by my abilities. We shall put your faith to the test. I can hear footsteps approaching and by your increasing tension they are your wife's. Let's see what happens."

Before Vlad could tell him where he was going to shove a hot poker, Leila walked into the room. "Sorry Ian, I had to-" She jolted to a stop at the sight of Damien.

At first dread flashed through Vlad at her reaction, had he been wrong? Maybe Leila could be thrawled by the demon, and in that case… His fire started building up his arms as he prepared to lunge and rip the demon's head off if he made a move toward his wife.

Leila froze in confusion as she stared at Damien. Ian's voice broke the loaded silence and dragged half of her attention to him. She kept one eye on Damien though as if she couldn't be made to look away, further inciting Vlad's rage.

"Poppet, what are you seeing right now?" Ian was genuinely curious, Damien was correct after all. His nature made people see what they considered the height of arousal in a person. It was intriguing to learn what Leila thought that peak was. The fact that it was enraging Vlad only added to his want to learn more.

Leila flicked her gaze briefly behind Damien, locking eyes with Vlad. Some of his rage left when he realised that while there was lust in her eyes, the confusion out weighed it. Why was she confused?

Her answer made a grin of satisfaction curl his lips and his fire die down. "I see Vlad, naked, and covered with blood. But I also see Vlad, over there, completely dressed, and looking like a thunder cloud..."

Love and satisfaction raced through him at her answer. What she found most attractive was him, that wasn't surprising at all considering their bedroom activities. Had the situation been switched back onto him and a succubus had been here he would have had the same reaction. Her initial freezing upon entering the room had been her confusion over 'him' supposedly standing naked, while covered in blood, in a room with Ian.

Understandably, that would be a mystifying sight, considering he loathed the insipid whore. Her lust was easily explained by the sight of 'him' naked, she _was_ seeing what she found most arousing after all.

Before he could speak up and tell her that he was the real Vlad, Leila stepped forward and touched the Demon. Immediately his previous rage shot the surface. Hadn't she just said that she could see two of him? Obviously the one who was naked in a room with Ian wasn't the real one, so why was she touching him?!

His answer came immediately. Damien sent him a smirk, only for that cocky expression to disappear to be replaced with pain in the next instant. Leila channeled lightning through her hand that rested on his chest, the currents sending Damien to the floor in a writhing mess.

The sight pleased Vlad immensely and he had no hesitation in admitting it. "Not to say I disapprove, I quite enjoy this, but why did you do that Darling?"

Leila looked at him, losing the wary look she aimed at the still writhing demon, as she answered. "I figured that you wouldn't be caught dead in a room naked with Ian, so it probably wasn't you. But I also didn't want to fire off a whip at his head on the weird off chance he _was_ you. This was an easy alternative since only you are immune to my ability."

So saying, she moved away from Damien after one final jolt that had him lunging away from her to hide behind Ian. He lurched to his feet, his newly disheveled appearance further pleasing Vlad, and spat at Ian. "We will conclude our business another time, call when you are away from _her_." He vanished in the next instant as quickly as he came.

His fear of Leila sent another flash of satisfaction through Vlad. It was infinitely better for the demon of lust to fear his wife than to be getting ideas. If the demon had shown more interest in her, Vlad would have had to invest in demon bone to kill him.

Turning his attention to his still confused wife, he walked over to her in two easy strides and enveloped her in his arms. "Excellent plan and I find myself quite happy with the results. That incubus will never grace us with his presence again for fear of you doing further damage."

As his arms wrapped around her and his feelings of pride, love and satisfaction curled against her own, it clicked. She let out a soft, "Ah" as understanding dawned.

"So _that_ was why he looked like a naked version of you. I was really confused for a bit there." She leaned back into him, feeling the echo of his previous rage and wanting to soothe it. His arms tightened, pulling her back against him until they were molded together.

Ian's voice stopped Vlad's reply, "Before you two get into it, I just need to ask your wife if she can read an essence. I doubt it, since she couldn't before, but I am temporarily out of leads and it is worth a shot."

Leila shook herself out of her lust. Even if the demon hadn't been Vlad, the image of her naked husband still danced behind her eyelids and as always the sight riled her like no other.

First, help Ian, then drag your husband to your bed room. She reminded herself. Although, as she eyed Vlad's glinting green gaze, she got the feeling there wouldn't be much 'dragging' involved.

When she went to leave his arms, she didn't get far due to their determined grip. Raising an eyebrow at him over her shoulder, Leila asked. "Problem?"

He smiled pleasantly down at her, "No, no problem at all. I have just decided that you won't be leaving my arms until I have thoroughly ravished you. If Ian wants you to check for imprints, he will just have to come closer."

Ian gave a snort, before doing as told. His voice cut off Leila's half hearted argument, "Don't bother poppet. This is normal behavior of an alpha male whose mate just had a visit from an incubus. After you check me for essences I'll take my leave. You should be in for a fun night."

She didn't doubt it, even though she couldn't see Vlad's eyes anymore with her back to him, she could feel his lust and his want to claim her curling through their bond. Ian was right, as soon as he was gone she _was_ in for a fun night.

The instant that Ian left, empty handed to both Leila and his disappointment, Vlad had scooped her up under her knees and was racing them back to their bedroom. A chuckle fell from her lips as the surrounding blurred together.

"In a hurry much?" Affection swelled along with her lust as he stopped in their room. His eyes were now completely green with lust as he let her feet touch the floor.

"Yes. I just saw you electrocute a male who is known for swaying people through lust. If that sight alone wasn't enough to make me want you, the knowledge that me covered in blood is what you find the peak of arousal would do the trick." As he finished his sentence, he reached for the hidden panel in the wall. Pulling his hand back with two blood bags, he put one on the night stand and handed the other to her.

"Now then, shall we make your vision from earlier a reality? Seeing, but not being able to touch such things is the worst kind of tease and I am more than willing to satisfy that craving. Afterwards, it will be my turn."

Leila's eyes were the same green pitch as his by the time he finished talking. "I like this plan." Vlad chuckled lowly as she shredded the bag over him while tackling him gleefully onto the bed.

"I thought you would." Was the last thing coherent sentence either of them spoke until the next morning.


	34. Nightmare Dark Pharaoh

It's time for some angst with the pharaoh and his wife.

The sun's rays woke Mencheres from his slumber, the bright light coming in from the curtains to glare straight into his gaze. With a flick of his power, the light became muffled and he relaxed back into the bed. Kira still slept contentedly a few feet away from him, her head completely buried into the pillows.

Mencheres disagreed with the distance between them, his arm reaching out to curl around his wife's waist and pull her back against his chest. His long dead heart gave a jolt of pure terror as a familiar head of black hair emerged from the pillows.

He physically flung himself out of bed, his sudden movement jostling the woman who was _not_ Kira and dragging the blankets off the bed with him. His terror slithered through his veins when the woman picked her head up to glare at him with cold eyes. The same eyes that he had rolled over to meet every morning for two millenium before their separation, leaving him to wake alone for nine hundred more years.

Patra continued to glower at him, the familiar hatred in her gaze not sending the pain through him that it used to. His focus was entirely on Kira. Where was she and how was _Patra_ here?! Had Patra somehow faked her death? Or had one of her worshippers sold their soul to bring her back? Had she done something with Kira?

His power lashed out at the last question, wrapping around Patra's throat in obvious threat. Even with his power primed to snap her head clean off, she didn't lose her glower. "Really Menkaure, this is-"

"Enough. I know not how you are here nor do I care for the answer. Where is Kira?" His ability shook the walls with rage and terror. Had Patra done something to her out of a twisted sense of jealousy?

Patra scoffed as much as his ability allowed. "Who is Kira?" Her eyes glinted with a familiar, dangerous jealousy that years ago Mencheres knew was the precursor to a violent fit of temper. Had he still been under her thrawl, he would have bent to that gaze and done anything he could to cut the inevitable off. Patra had never needed a reason to throw herself into a rage, she would invent infractures that he had supposedly done and he would have to apologize for things he would never even contemplate doing to appease his then wife.

He wasn't under her control anymore though. His power tightened and Patra showed uncertainty for the first time since he had woken. His voice rang with his rage, "Don't play coy with me. Kira is my chosen wife and you should be dead."

Patra's features twisted into a rage that used to spell out pain for him years before, but now it merely cemented his assurance that she had done something to Kira.

When she spoke, her voice was so cold ice could have dripped off of every word. "Apparently you were dreaming of cheating on me with another woman. This Kira does not exist or if she does she won't for long. Did you forget our laws oh husband of mine? I am allowed to kill any woman you lie with."

His power flexed around her mouth, promptly shutting her jaw as his terror dropped into a soul deep dread. Could he have imagined Kira and their relationship? He _had_ been alive longer than most vampires, it was possible that his subconscious had momentarily broken and had offered him what he wanted most. A loving and understanding wife to share his life with.

His dread fell away to despair as the truth set in. Patra was still alive, which meant Bones had yet to kill her and his dream was just that, a dream. The feeling of loss that ravaged his very soul made a pink glaze cover his eyes. The woman from his dream had been everything he had ever wanted in a wife, but it wasn't real. His reality was as it always has been, a cold wife who would love nothing more than to see him dead. As he deserved for his part in her first love's death.

The remembered love that he had felt from Kira made an ache start up in his chest. To have such a small taste of the love he craved and then to wake to his cold and hateful wife was a blow he hadn't been prepared for.

His despair, loss and pain rolled together into a tangled mass of emotion. The force of which made him slide down against the wall behind him until he sat with his head leaned back against it.

As the icy pain crawled through his veins, he dropped his power from around Patra's mouth. He would pay dearly for all of what he had done since waking, but he couldn't find it in himself to care. A flash of blond hair and a joyful laugh further tore at his heart. Let Patra kill him, maybe his afterlife would have the woman from his dream.

The form of his wife lunged for the blade under her pillow, standing tall and proud as she stormed over to him. As she stopped in front of him, raising the knife as she prepared to slant it into his chest, he could only close his eyes and wait for the blow. Another flash of blond hair and loving eyes made a smile tug on his lips as the blade bit into his chest.

As the cold grip of true death tightened its hold on him, he relished in the visions of Kira and the warmth they brought. His life may end, but at least the ending was pleasant…

Mencheres jolted upright in bed, his mind clearing of sleep in the time it took him to glance around the room. The familiar wallpaper and bed greeted him, to his confusion. How much of it had been a dream? What was real?

The thought of Kira had him lunging out of the bed. She _must_ be real, he couldn't have imagined such intense emotions. But as he looked around and found no traces of the belongings he remembered that supposedly belonged to her, despair swallowed him once more.

He supposed he should be happy that it had taken over forty five hundred years before he had his first mental break. Most vampires reached theirs every century or so. His despair was interrupted by the sound of water not far from him. Before he could puzzle out what he was hearing, Kira burst through the door to the bathroom. Her eyes swung wildly around the room before landing on him.

Mencheres stared at her in disbelief, he had been _so sure_ that she had been a dream. But here she stood, staring at him in concern as her scent soured with worry. In the next instant, before she could begin to move toward or away from him, he lunged over to her and wrapped himself around her form.

He ignored the water that dripped onto him from where their skin met, too focused on inhaling her lemony scent and running his hands over every inch of skin he could reach. Relief poured through him, warmth dethawing the previous ice in his veins as reality came back to him in a rush.

Patra was definitely dead, Kira _was_ real and he had married her at the earliest convenience after their fight with Radje. Never before had he felt such relief from waking to reality being better than the horrors his mind concocted.

Kira, for her part, returned the embrace even as her confusion kept building. She had been taking a shower when suddenly their sire bond had ripped open and soul wrenching pain had brought her to her knees. She hadn't wasted a moment, abandoning the still running shower to check on her husband who she knew was the source of the emotions.

When he had seen her his pain had vanished to be replaced with a relief so potent that it almost brought tears to her eyes. Now that she stood tucked into his embrace, she had a hunch about what had happened. She had nightmares in the past where waking up she had thought Pete was out of jail and still married to her. If her guess was correct, Mencheres had just had something similar. And if the tear tracks going down his cheeks were any indication, it was a bad one.

Not pushing him to talk, Kira raised her arms to cradle his head against her shoulder. He had buried his nose into the junction of her neck and shoulder, inhaling her scent steadily as he used it to anchor him to the present.

Her fingers gently wove into his hair, raking her nails lightly against his scalp in a form of massage as he steadied himself. It was only a few minutes until he pulled back, but it felt like an eternity.

His eyes were misty to match the pink trails smudged on his cheeks. Kira raised both of her hands to cup his face and brush the trails away. His hands came up to bracket hers, pressing them into his jaw with more force as he closed his eyes to soak in the feel of her skin.

It pulled on her heart seeing him like this, but from experience she knew to just let him go at his own pace until he was calm again. If he felt like talking with her about it, then she would listen but she wouldn't try to drag it out of him. She already had an idea of what had happened, and if it upset him to think about then she didn't need details. She tightened her grip on his face, knowing how much touch helped her in the past pull herself back to the present and out of her nightmare.

He relaxed under her palms, practically melting when she pulled him down to her level to lay kisses across his face. Her mouth wiped away the last of his tears as she brushed feather light kisses over his nose, across his forehead and down each cheek. When she pulled back to gauge his emotional state, his eyes glowed with adoration that she could feel through the bond.

He cupped her hands and intertwined their fingers before pulling them off of his face. His voice was grovelly with emotion when he spoke. "My adored, I apologize for interrupting your shower-"

She wiggled one of her hands free to gently shush him, "There is absolutely nothing you have to be sorry for and a shower is easy to go back to. You need me, so there is no where else I should be."

His shoulders relaxed at her affirmation, but his face still looked haunted. In an attempt to preempt any pain he would feel from retelling his nightmare before he was emotionally ready to, she crooned. "I'm guessing you had a nightmare where your reality was all twisted up. I used to get them all the time. If you want to tell me about it later then I'm here, but for now…" She tugged on his hand gently leading him toward the still running shower. "How about you join me in the shower?"

Mencheres had no words for his gratitude or his appreciation of her words, so he opened the bond to allow her full access to his emotions as he nodded in agreement. "Yes, that sounds like a brilliant idea." His voice was still weaker than he would prefer, but it was steadily getting stronger.

As she stepped into the shower with their hands still linked, she pulled until he joined her under the spray. His habit of sleeping naked negated the need to remove any articles of clothing. Mencheres tilted his head back to allow the water to work into his hair, the droplets feeling comforting as they fell on his face.

Kira bent to pick up his hair soap, working some into a lather before sliding it into his scalp. Starting from his roots, she moved slowly downward until she had soaped every inch of his hair. Once finished, she gently tilted his head back with her hand working as a guard to protect his eyes from the soap as she wove her other hand through his tresses. She continued her actions after the soap was out, the sight of his eyes shut in bliss as her hand carded through his hair sending relief through her body. She never wanted to see or feel such despair from him again.

Reluctantly, Kira picked up the conditioner and began to lather it into his hair. She would prefer to keep up her massaging but then she would never finish the shower and Mencheres looked like he could use some peaceful sleep.

Nodding in satisfaction once done, she tugged him out of the spray to give the soap a chance to sink in. She reached past him for his body wash, the non scented soap allowing his natural dark spice scent to come through as she began to lather it against his chest. Starting at his neck, she inched her way across his body.

Kira learned early on in their relationship that while Mencheres loved bathing together, showering was his second favorite water based activity. While she enjoyed their shared baths, she personally preferred this. The feel of his muscles under her hands contracting and tensing as he reacted to her touch made a smile curl across her lips. There were very few things she loved more than taking her time to explore his body, and washing him down gave her the perfect excuse to do it at length for as long as she wanted to.

After she finished washing him, everything from his shoulders down to his toes, avoiding his groin for now until she knew where he wanted this shower to go, was clean. Her hand hovered over his length, her nails trailing against the cradle of his hips as she waited for him to open his eyes.

The stygian gaze slowly opened to meet hers, a thin line of green around the black glowed brightly as he watched her. She dropped a kiss to his mouth, pulling back before he could deepen it. "How are you feeling?" They had nights like this before, whether it was her reeling from a nightmare or him, and it had become a habit for them to do this. Ask the other how they were feeling before instigating any type of sexual activity. If they wanted to just sleep then there was no pressure, but if they wanted more or the feeling of being connected together in the most intimate way possible then it was an option.

At first when he gripped her hand, stopping her nails from brushing against his groin, she assumed tonight would be a calmer night. However as his hand guided both of theirs down until his length rubbed against her palm, she knew that it was quite the opposite.

He wasn't completely hard yet, but with his go ahead she could change that. He released her hand and pulled her flush against him. One of his hands tangled into her hair as his other dropped to between her legs.

Kira bit back a gasp as his fingers carefully prodded along her entrance, making small circles on the nub just inside her opening before starting a slow and shallow rhythm of thrusting. She distracted herself from the feeling by focusing on his pleasure.

Firmly wrapping her fingers around his girth, she felt as he pulsed in her palm and started to swell. The feeling sent a shot of heat down to where his fingers still worked, making her pause momentarily to shudder at the sensations he was causing.

Refocusing was difficult, but she was determined to make him feel the same pleasure he was giving her. Using the water from the shower, she began to glide her hand up and down his length, tightening her grip as she moved only to loosen it when she pulled away.

A deep, throaty groan came from him as she picked up her pace to match the one he had set between her legs. Just as she felt her walls start to clench and his length grew heavier in her palm, Mencheres pulled back with a groan.

"The only place I will be spending myself is inside of you." His eyes were pure green as he said it, further lighting the fire of arousal in Kira's stomach.

She barely got a nod out before he was lowering them both to the shower tiles. He braced her back against the floor and moved to hover over her, lifting her legs to wrap around his hips. Once they were secured, he dropped one of his hands behind her head to cushion it from the hard tile before using his other hand to maneuver his length against her core.

When he paused to take in the sight of her spread out for him, Kira tightened her legs and pulled him forward. He let out a hiss of pleasure as he sank the first few inches into her welcoming heat. Her legs gripped his sides as his length stretched her to her limit. No matter how many times they joined together like this, he always filled her to an almost painful degree.

Kira had always laughed at those women who bragged about their partner's penis lengths. It was the girth that was important for the woman's pleasure, not the length. Although if the man didn't know how to use his equipment then it didn't matter how well endowed he was, it wouldn't feel good for the woman.

Mencheres pressed forward again, sliding the last few inches in before bottoming out, immediately retaking Kira's attention and making her throw her head back in bliss with a gasp. This was her favorite part of making love with him, being so intertwined together that she could feel him everywhere both inside and out. She had never been this close with anyone else and she had no desire to be. It was saved solely for him and she would have it no other way.

After his initial penetration, he slowly pulled back out. Her walls gripped him as if trying to pull him back and Kira clenched her inner muscles just to hear him moan above her. Abandoning his previous objective of pulling back, he reburied himself to the hilt.

He picked up the pace of his thrusts until Kira had to wrap her arms around his neck to keep herself steady on the slippery floor. A high pitched gasp broke from her throat when he shifted his angle to grind his hips against her nub on each thrust. Her gasp spurred him on as he increased his speed until he was barely pulling out of her before moving back in.

Mencheres looked down at Kira, her hair spread out on the floor behind her like a halo with her eyes shut tightly from her pleasure. The sight dragged him to the edge and sensing how close he was, he growled. "Kira, open your eyes."

Brilliant green eyes that matched his own met his gaze, but even through that light he could see her love for him. He bent to capture her mouth as he reached down to pinch the nub between her legs. She screamed her pleasure into their kiss, the sound sending a primal triumph through him before he shuddered above her.

With a final thrust, he buried himself deeply before tearing his mouth away to groan out his climax. His hips jolted with miniature thrusts as he shook off the last of his orgasm before slowing to a stop. He rested for a moment, basking in the feeling of their connection as both he and Kira calmed from their peaks.

He knew they should move to get up soon, but the comfort from their connection and the love he could plainly see in her eyes made him linger. Kira grinned up at him, her arms twining around his neck as she pulled him into a languid kiss.

When she pulled back, she tugged on his hair that was still coated in conditioner that they had been too distracted to wash out. "As much as I enjoy our current position, we need to finish cleaning your hair and this tile really isn't comfortable."

At the mention of her discomfort, he separated from her before guiding both of them to their feet. He dropped a kiss to her forehead as her fingers began winding through his hair to get what was left of the conditioner that hadn't been washed down the drain during their previous activities. "Apologies, my adored. Are you feeling sore?"

He dragged his mouth back to her ear, speaking in a breathy tone that promised more of what they had just finished with. "I could kiss it and make it better or if that doesn't work, possibly a massage?"

A shiver rolled down Kira's spine at the images the words painted. Yes that did sound nice, but first. "You can do anything you want to me later, but first you need more sleep and I think a movie night is in order. You had a rough night and I think some cuddling will work wonders for you."

Mencheres hummed his agreement, he would never turn down the chance to relax with his dark lady. The joy he received from that was different than when they made love, but it was equally as pleasant.

Kira flicked the water off, she locked their hands again before dragging him out of the shower. "I picked last time so it's your turn this time. Just let me dry you off and you can get everything ready."

Before she could grab the towel, Mencheres beat her to it. Wrapping the fluffy material around her shoulders, he began patting her dry. "I have a counter offer, we dry each other and then go pick the movie."

He worded it like a question, but he was already toweling her down. Kira shook her head in exasperation and affection. Her husband was the most touchy feely person she had ever known and she loved every minute of it.

"Counter offer accepted." She grinned impishly as she turned for him to get her back, his hand lingering on her behind before she playfully chided. "Mencheres, no. Movie, remember?"

The hand left her behind to continue patting her down, once done he handed her the towel. As she brought the towel over the plains of his chest, Kira understood why he enjoyed small intimacies such as this. Just like in the shower, it was another reason to touch him and she would enjoy every minute of it. If the rest of their lives were spent like this then she would consider it well lived.


	35. Pause

Hey guys! Another one that wasn't requested but came to me and demanded to be written. May I say right up front that this fic is heavy on emotions but has zero smut. I have an ace friend who brought to my attention that putting warnings before each chapter is a good idea so I'll be doing that from now on for any ace readers out there. So, no steam but heavy feels. Read and review!

The warehouse around him burned hot with fires he could easily extinguish, but his attention wasn't on the walls. No, it was on the body curled in his arms and still coated liberally with fire despite his best efforts to put it out.

Terror the likes of which he hadn't felt in centuries pierced his very soul as his hands desperately ran across her skin. Despite his continued frantic commands, the fire continued burning as if he hadn't been the source of its creation. His horror only increased as it devoured the one he cherished most in the world while he was unable to stop it.

He could feel as it ate at her skin and bones, the flames ignoring his commands but still maintaining their link with him. As if they were taunting him, _you can't stop this, even though it is your fire._ He had felt many of his enemies burn under his power before, but now as it vigorously burnt through his wife's body he wanted nothing more than to never see the flames again.

That same fire glanced harmlessly off of his own skin, reminding him suddenly of his ability to coat her in his essence. His movements were frantic as he threw his essence out over her like a blanket, desperately praying that he stopped it in time. He had smelt the burning scent of charred flesh often in his life, but never before had he been so close to retching because of it.

As his aura coated her, his fire began to die away as if finally heading his frantic commands. Relief poured through his body, only to be replaced with soul searing pain when the damages became clear to him. He could see her bones where the flame had burnt straight through her muscle and tissue. The skin that was left on her body was shriveled, burnt black, and breaking apart to show the vulnerable muscles underneath.

Soon his terror increased to a fever pitch, surpassing his pain and self hatred, as he realised that no new skin was growing. Her muscles weren't knitting back together, nor were her bones shifting back into their proper place. A cry ripped past his throat as he crushed her against his chest, his hands desperately roaming over her cheeks in an attempt to rouse her. "Come on Leila! You need to heal! Heal, my darling, heal. Please!"

When his desperate pleading statement received no answer, he tightened his hold before throwing his head back to release the pain of his soul ripping itself apart. The knowledge that half of his heart, more than half - all of it, was now past his reach sent a familiar but even more devastating pain through him. He knew this pain, felt it sharply over the centuries after finding Clara's body in the river. Only now it felt even worse, before he had made himself pick up what was left of his soul and forge on ahead. Now, there was nothing left to rebuild. It all died with her.

His forehead lowered to hers, tears he hadn't noticed and didn't care to stop flowed freely before dropping onto her cheeks. "Not again, I can't do this without you. Don't leave me alone. Please, Leila. Don't make me go through this again." His voice was broken, carrying all the pain he felt and more even as he knew it was pointless to plead with a corpse.

He had felt the instant her soul had left, had felt it rend from his own, leaving him empty for the first time since she had walked into his life. The familiar aching coldness swept through his body even as the pain continued to rise.

As his fire rose around them from his place cradling her body to his chest, he begged for it to be a nightmare. _Wake up, this has to be a nightmare. It can't be real, wake up! Please, wake up and let her be by my side, safe and whole!_

Sitting up ramrod straight, his gaze swung around the room wildly. Fire was everywhere, but this wasn't the warehouse. The familiar stone walls of his room sent waves of relief cascading through him. It _had_ been a nightmare, just a nightmare…

Glancing over to Leila's side of the bed, a flare of panic speared through him when it showed to be empty. Only ashes from the fire that still burned on the sheets and surrounding area met his gaze. Briefly, the nightmare came back to him of her body barely holding solid form in his arms. Nausea twisted his stomach harshly as he battled his fear.

Swiping an arm out, he doused the remaining flames before leaping out of the smoking wreckage of their bed. His eyes swept the room, desperately searching for Leila's form. When he didn't find it, the previous terror from his nightmare came crawling back. He hadn't burnt her to death in his sleep, had he? Even with his increase in power, it would take him several minutes of contact in which she would have woken up and run away.

Unless, she had stayed to try to wake him… Wrenching himself from his thoughts and the echoes of the soul tearing pain of his nightmare, he swung around and made toward the door. He was being ridiculous, Leila would never endanger herself like that. She would have retreated to a safe distance until he woke up. He repeated his weak reassurances despite not believing them in the slightest.

A sound from the room on the other side of the lounge brought reality back to him with crystal clarity and with it a burst of relief so strong he had to stop momentarily to regain his bearings.

Leila _was_ fine, the reason she hadn't been in bed with him was because earlier they had gotten into an argument. She had elected to sleep in her old room, not wanting to share their bed while incensed with him. Considering the damage his nightmare could have caused her had she been sleeping next to him, he was suddenly grateful that she had chosen to sleep elsewhere.

Even through his relief and the logical part of his mind that told him his wife was fine, he still felt a niggling doubt. He _had_ to see her to verify that she was truly alive and well. He doubted he would sleep either way after such an intense nightmare, but he didn't relish the thought of his most likely unfounded worry badgering him all night.

Resolving to take a quick glance into the room before leaving her to sleep, Vlad opened the bedroom door as quietly as possible. The familiar shape of his wife amongst the blankets set his worries to rest. Before he could think better of it, he walked closer. His eyes greedily took in her unblemished skin, the moonlight bouncing off of it to create a luminescent glow. Lowering himself onto the mattress, he rested his hand near her own on the bed spread without touching.

He should leave her be, they were still having an argument and she wouldn't be pleased if she awoke to him staring at her while she slept. Even as he admitted what he should do, his body did the exact opposite. His hand inched toward her own, wanting to feel her skin on his, her electricity pulsing waves into him.

When he was centimeters away, Leila stirred, making him stiffen in anticipation. Briefly he considered sprinting back to their room, but the thought of returning to their room, that was coated in ashes, made the lingering disquiet from his nightmare spike dangerously.

Instead, he stayed still and waited for Leila's reaction. She would most likely be displeased, but he knew that if he explained the situation then she would offer comfort. While he would never admit so out loud, he needed that comfort right now more than anything except maybe her touch. The need to wrap her into his arms pulsed through him until it became a fierce ache in his chest.

He held himself back, if she was aggravated then his pawing at her would only make it worse. Explanations first, then he could wrap his body around her until morning.

Blue eyes opened in the next instant, locking with his own despite there being no light in the room. Instead of the anger he had expected, concern and alarm flashed across her face. In one motion, she had sat up to be level with him and her hand had raised to his jaw where her thumb stroked his beard.

The touch sent a soothing calmness over his frazzled nerves, the last of his discomfort disappearing under her careful stroking. He was pulled back to the present at her next shocked question.

"Vlad...why are you crying?" Her voice was barely a whisper, but it brought the wet trails he only now noticed painting his cheeks to his attention. Apparently he hadn't only been crying in his nightmare, unsurprisingly the despair had been potent enough to cause tears to come to his physical body as well.

Under normal circumstances he would try to brush the tears off as nothing to be concerned about, but after the heights his emotions had been to in the last half hour he couldn't find it in himself to care that his wife was seeing his tears. He had thought she was dead by his fire, it was all he could do to be thankful it had been a nightmare and that day in the warehouse hadn't taken such a turn. It wouldn't have taken much for it to have been that scenario…

Turning his attention to Leila's concerned eyes, he leaned into her hand before replying. "A nightmare, about the warehouse and how it _could _have ended." Understanding immediately settled into her gaze, followed by a grimace. He had been correct when he had told her that he would carry pain from her near death encounter with him for many months to come. The nightmares had been dialing back lately, but tonight's was by far the most intense of them all. Most likely due to their earlier argument and not having her by his side in slumber.

The reasons behind it mattered none to him, all that he cared for was her hands that now caressed his face and the lips that traced the wet trails on his cheek. Her thumbs stroked away the leftover wetness after she slid open mouthed kisses across each trail.

She scooted closer until she was plastered against his side, her fingers twining into his hair as she spoke. "Ah. Well, how about we make tonight into a movie night since I doubt you'll get anymore sleep. I'll probably fall asleep once dawn gets closer but that gives us a few hours."

The love in her eyes sent warmth sliding through his veins, melting all the places that had been turned to ice with dread not thirty minutes ago. His wife always knew what he needed in situations such as this and never hesitated to offer any support she could give.

His arms encased her, no struggle coming from Leila as he did so, before he pulled her against his chest. The familiar electricity danced across his skin, further proof that she was _alive_ and safe. "Even if you were to fall asleep seconds after the movie began, simply holding you is more than enough for me. When I first awoke, I hadn't planned on waking you at all. I only intended to see for myself that you were healthy and whole. Once I saw you though, my body had a mind of its own."

Leila's mouth twisted down into a frown, "Why wouldn't you wake me after that? You tell me all the time that if I have a nightmare that I should wake you. That applies for you too. I want to help in any way I can." Her hands dropped from his hair to grip his hands, he returned her squeeze before answering.

"We argued earlier, I wasn't certain how you would react to me waking you before we had resolved it." If possible, Leila's eyes darkened further and her frown became deeper.

"I don't care that we were arguing, you and your comfort matter more to me than anything we could possibly argue over. We can pause a fight and if it is important we can deal with it later, but I'll never turn you away when you need me." To accent her words, she slid closer and rested her head in the hollow of his throat before dropping a kiss against his long silent pulse point.

A choked sound left him as he tipped his head further back, exposing more of his throat for her. Taking the silent request for what it was, Leila swept closed mouthed kisses along the line of his neck before dropping to his chest.

Her mouth stopped its trail directly over his heart, stopping for a moment to give an extra long kiss before rising to connect their mouths. Leila sighed as his walls faltered, allowing her to feel his love as well as the echoes of pain from the nightmare.

When they pulled away, Leila scooted back to grab the remote off the nightstand. Handing it to Vlad, she grabbed the pillows from the head of the bed as well as the top blankets before turning them into a makeshift nest. "You pick the movie, I can pick next if I'm still awake."

She sat in the middle of the blanket mess, her hand outstretched for his own while she waited for him to take his place beside her.

An amused huff left him even as he moved next to her. He went to lean back, only for her to prod him. His confusion disappeared when she laid down first before opening her arms in an obvious offer. She spoke up when he didn't move to lay against her chest. "Aren't you the one who is always telling me there's nothing to be ashamed of in wanting comfort after a nightmare? I curl up on you all the time, so there's no reason you can't do the same."

Her words had the desired effect, after a moment of internal deliberation Vlad laid his head on her chest. It took some adjusting, neither of them being used to the reversal of positions, but once finished Vlad had most of his weight settled on top of her while her fingers stroked through his hair. Sometimes they trailed down to rub at his back, but mostly they were content to remain in his hair.

Absentmindedly, Vlad put on the first movie he came to before placing the remote to the side. He had no opinion on what they watched, he wouldn't be paying it any attention after all. Resting his head against her chest, he inhaled her natural scent deeply. He was glad she had woken up, despite it going against what he had originally planned. Being wrapped in her arms was much nicer than working in an attempt to take his mind off his former unease.

The feel of her fingers working through his hair, carefully undoing the knots he had yet to brush out, and lightly massaging his scalp lulled him back to sleep after two hours. When he woke up the next morning, her fingers were still tangled in his hair and he still rested on her chest. After a moment of consideration, he shifts closer into her chest before dozing back into a peaceful sleep.


	36. Effort (VladLeila's First Anniversary)

Alright guys this is one that wasn't requested, I just wanted to do Vlad and Leila with some fluff instead of angst. So here you go, hope you enjoy and as always read and review.

Vlad glowered at Ian and Bones from his place by the window as they all waited for Mencheres to enter the room. Their sire had called them here to discuss something of great importance, but this left Vlad to suffer the peasant and the whore's company until Mencheres came.

Ian had been attempting to get a rise from him since the moment he had crossed the threshold, but he had managed to ignore him as of yet. He wasn't sure how much longer that would continue if their sire didn't make his appearance though.

Thankfully, Mencheres swept through the door in the next instant, sending Ian a censoring glance as he did. "Ian, stop pestering Vlad. I called you here to discuss a party that Kira and I are planning to host. Behave and don't tempt Vlad to kill you anymore than he most definitely already is."

The accuracy of his statement pulled a smile from Vlad, before all of the room's attention shifted to Mencheres. Bones was the first to speak, "A party? I don't remember there being anything near to celebrate?"

Ian broke in before Mencheres could answer, "Who needs a reason to throw a party? My Crispin, you've become boring with your marriage to Cat."

Before they could get into it, Mencheres broke back in. "We haven't completely decided if we are doing so or not, thus I am alerting you ahead of time as to its potential. If we do host it, we are debating between a Halloween or Christmas themed ball."

The mention of the holidays caught Vlad's attention, maybe Leila would like to go to this party. Generally he made it a rule to avoid social gatherings as they tended to become tedious but this one would be held by Mencheres and his wife. Leila seemed to get along well with Kira and as of yet, Vlad hadn't had many opportunities to simply enjoy his time with Leila. What with the past year containing near constant attacks by enemies or their fighting, they hadn't had time for leisure.

Ian's voice pulled him back to the present, "I vote for a Halloween party, I could think of quite a few costumes that my wife would look ravishing in."

Silently Vlad agreed, his mind had immediately thought of at least three different costumes that would suit Leila and knowing her love of the holidays, this would surely be something she would enjoy. Mencheres glanced over to receive Vlad's opinion, which he answered with a nod of approval that was mirrored in Bones.

With the approval of all three present, Mencheres continued. "I shall alert Kira that you all are interested in a Halloween ball. Once we have a set decision then I will alert you. Since we are all gathered, how have you been?"

Vlad's mouth twitched, sometimes Mencheres reminded him of a hovering mother hen with his concern over all of their welfare. Ian answered first, "Veritas and I have been getting along swimmingly, why we haven't even had a visit from her coworkers to gripe about her choice in marrying me in the past few weeks. Progress."

Veritas's presence in Ian's life had made the insipid whore easier for Vlad to handle whenever he insisted on visiting Leila, as the formidable woman kept Ian as in line as he could get. Not to say Vlad enjoyed his presence, but at least it was tolerable.

Vlad paid slightly more attention when Bones made to speak on how he and Cat were doing. While he didn't care for Bones, Cat was a good friend of his and it was nice to hear how she was doing.

"Kitten and I have been doing well, her birthday is coming up soon and I'm planning a dinner for her. Stubborn woman won't let me get her anything _too_ extravagant regularly but we agreed I can splurge on special occasions such as this. I intend to take full advantage of it, after all Kitten may protest but she enjoys being doted on every now and then just like any other woman does."

Vlad hadn't known Cat's birthday was coming up, he would have to make a note to buy her something soon. Maybe he and Leila could go to the town near their home to find something, he hadn't had a chance to show Leila anything in Romania as of yet and that was an oversight he intended to fix soon.

Suddenly, all eyes were on Vlad. Bones's voice immediately sparked irritation as he questioned him. "What about you Tepesh? Your wedding anniversary should be coming up soon, right? First one as well. Surely you have something big planned for your wife."

Having all the attention of two of the people he loathed made his hackles rise, but with a warning glance from Mencheres he answered grudgingly. "Not that it's any of your business, but I plan to have a quiet evening with my wife for our anniversary. She doesn't tend to enjoy the more extravagant parties I throw, therefore if I want her to truly enjoy it then small and simple it must be."

Bones snorted and Ian shook his head in exasperation, immediately sparking Vlad's irritation. "What?" The one word was bitten off harshly and he could already feel the fire in his blood uncoiling into his limbs. Bones answered, ignoring Mencheres warning to not pester Vlad.

"We didn't say it had to be extravagant Tepesh, you can do things for your wife without it having to include a party. Blimey, do you have a romantic bone in your body? I feel sorry for your wife mate." Mencheres sudden grip on Vlad's shoulder was the only thing that stopped him from setting Bones on fire.

Ian continued where Bones left off, "Too right Crispin, why even I in all my promiscuity have done more romantic things for Veritas than Tepesh has for Leila. Poor Poppet probably hasn't seen affection aside from in the bedroom."

"That is enough from both of you." Mencheres voice was sharp with reprimand, the sound succeeding in silencing both Bones and Ian. "What Vlad does with Leila in their personal life is no business of ours. While I enjoyed seeing you, I believe it is time for you to leave. I shall call you when I have more information about the party."

Both Ian and Bones took the dismissal for what it was, leaving without another comment to Vlad. Once they were gone, Mencheres turned back to him with an apologetic glance. Vlad waived it off before he could speak, "I'm fine, although it was a good thing you stepped in or those two would not have been."

Vlad would never admit it, but their words had caught in his mind. Big without being extravagant, what would Leila enjoy for their first anniversary? As of yet in their relationship she had been the one who chose these things and Vlad was happy to follow along. Everything she had chosen as of yet had been enjoyable, but what could he plan that she would like?

Thinking back to the things she had done over the course of their relationship, he came to the realization that most of what she did revolved around their sex life. The only time she had tried something that hadn't been related to their bed room had been his disaster of a birthday party and the Dragobete note hunt she had set up for him.

Generally most men would buy their wives chocolates, flowers or jewelry for anniversaries but Leila didn't care for jewelry, she didn't have to eat anymore either so he wasn't sure how chocolates would be received. And with a start, Vlad realized he didn't know what type of chocolate she liked or what her favorite flower was. Leila had made a point of finding out what the various things he liked were early on in their relationship, but he hadn't the slightest clue what hers were.

That was a sobering realization. Even the street peasant and insipid whore had mentioned on occasion the various things their wives liked, for Vlad to not know any of Leila's tastes… It sat wrong with him. He knew that she enjoyed the flowers he had given her for Dragobete, but that hadn't been because he had asked. He had noticed her eyeing them in particular during one of their walks in the garden. While she did still eat chocolate now that her taste buds had evened out, she hadn't mentioned what her favorite was. When she had been human she had never shown a preference for what they had eaten at dinner, merely enjoying whatever was put in front of her.

The thoughts pestered Vlad the entire flight back to Romania, so much so that Leila immediately picked up on it despite the bond being closed. "Is everything alright Vlad? You seem … distracted."

His mouth twitched, she even noticed when he had something on his mind… "Nothing is wrong per say, I just realized how little I know about your personal tastes. It bothers me that I can't say with certainty what you enjoy."

She blinked owlishly at him, her surprise obvious before shaking it off to smile with such tenderness that he briefly wondered what he had said to cause such a reaction. "Vlad, you're not the type to do small talk so I never bothered trying to drag you into it. If it bothers you then we can go over my favorites, although most of them change on a regular basis."

Finding himself liking the thought of knowing all the things she enjoyed, Vlad nodded. "Then let's start with your favorite dessert. I know you still enjoy those even after turning…"

And so the hours went with Vlad asking about the various things Leila enjoyed until the sky darkened and her eyes grew heavy. As they laid in bed together, Leila dozing happily on his chest, he thought over all of the new information he had received.

Apparently her favorite flower had used to be a lily due to her mother's fondness for them, but now it was the same he had given her for Dragobete. She enjoyed most any dessert that had chocolate in it, but preferred dark over white or milk. He had also learned her favorite color, clothing type, and her preferred activities while out and about. He had never known she enjoyed swimming, he would have to make a point of bringing her to the glade not far from the castle. The waterfall was scenic and she was sure to enjoy it…

The thought continued to build; ideas for what he could do to make their first anniversary memorable coming together easily. Some he discarded as being too showy, but others he kept until he had an extensive plan started. He had a few months before their anniversary so he had time to make sure every detail was perfect, but for now it was a place to start. When it came time to implement it, he would make sure it went off without a hitch and it would be an event that she would never forget as long as they both shall live.

Leila began to stir against his chest, the familiar noises alerting him of an upcoming nightmare as he slid his arm around her to tug her closer against him. His hand stroked up and down her back, the touch soothing her before the nightmare could truly take hold. Once she was back to sleep with no signs of distress, he allowed himself to slip into unconsciousness as well. The feel of her body in his arms lulling him into a peaceful rest. His dreams entailed the many different things he could do for their anniversary, as well as her delight in his plans. Yes, he would ensure the day was one of the best she had yet in her life. He was the voivode of Romania, prince of Wallachia, and master of an ancient and powerful line of vampires. How hard could setting up a romantic and sentimental day for his wife be?

The months passed quickly as Vlad tweaked his plans to perfection. He was careful to not let on to Leila what he was setting up, it wasn't a very good surprise if she knew about it after all. Besides, he wanted to see the look of joy bloom on her face as she took in what he planned to do.

When the day finally came to begin preparations, he found himself excited and ,to his shock, nervous. He had never had cause to be nervous about how Leila would react to something before, knowing she loved him had removed the general nerves most men felt when proposing as he knew she would accept.

Had this been how she felt while planning the things she had for him? Her confidence was considerably less than his though, so where he was mildly nervous she had been more likely bursting with it. Again a flash of his birthday party came to mind with the destroyed decorations in the garbage can. He grimaced and forcibly put the thought out of his mind. He had made a mistake and he had already apologized for it. He would be sure to be more careful in the future as to not repeat it, dwelling on it did no good.

Besides, he couldn't see Leila reacting with anything but happiness to his efforts. As of yet any time he had shown her even the slightest amount of affection she had returned it ten fold. The thought of how happy she was with even scraps of love made his mood darken. Yet another thing he had to thank her father for…

Shaking himself from his thoughts again, he forced himself to focus on the task at hand. He had everything ready now, all he had to do was fetch Leila and be on their way. She was unaware they were going anywhere, believing that the plan for their anniversary was his original one to stay in bed and lounge together all day. If things went well they could always do that after they got home. He would never get enough of lying still with his wife, no matter how much time passed.

Entering the doors to their room, he found Leila sitting on the bed with a book, which she put down once she noticed him. "You done with work already?" She made no move to rise from the bed, believing him to be joining her.

He allowed his smile to spread across his mouth as he linked their hands before tugging on her to sit up. "Yes I am, but I have a surprise for you before we move on to our plans for the evening."

Curiosity and excitement immediately lit her gaze, the sight sending satisfaction through him as she asked. "I thought we weren't doing presents?" She shifted awkwardly even as she moved to sit up. His mouth twitched in amusement at her words, yes she had insisted that they not exchange presents since he insisted on getting her them throughout the year. It had made planning the surprise a tad more difficult but he had found his way around that easily enough. Besides, he could still use the presents he had previously planned for today on her birthday or Christmas.

"I didn't go back on our agreement, although I still disagree with it. Now come, that is all you will be getting information wise until we get there." He could see her intrigue as she got her boots on, but she didn't try to pull anything else from him.

He enjoyed seeing the excitement in her eyes, too often in their relationship were they dark in pain or anger. Their fighting had lowered considerably since Martin's death, but they still occasionally found something to swipe at one another over, as all couples did.

Once she was ready, he held out his arm. "Let's be on our way."

He led her carefully, she had insisted on closing her eyes for the surprise despite it making her blind to everything around her. Her response when he had told her it wasn't necessary had warmed him and he had dropped the subject. "It's more fun this way and it's not like you're ever going to let me walk into something. You'd never let me get hurt even if it is just walking into a wall or tripping over a step." Her confidence in him always made him happy, now if she would just have that kind of confidence in herself…

One step at a time, he reminded himself. They could work on her confidence later, for now he had a few more paces to lead her before they reached the clearing. A basket hung off his arm that she hadn't seen him pick up on their way out with the other part of her surprise in it.

That part was sure to delight both of them, he had chosen it specifically for the evening and he was determined to make this as memorable as possible. He would make sure that she would never be able to look at her favorite icecream the same way again after this.

As they entered the clearing, he knew that she could hear the waterfall as her excited squirming increased. There was only so much he could hide from her with her advanced senses, but he would still get to see her joy with the rest of his surprise so he was content.

Stopping in front of the small pond that the waterfall fell into, he placed the basket down on the already prepared blanket before walking to stand behind her. Tugging her back against his chest he bent to breath into her ear, "Alright, open your eyes."

He heard her intake of breath and saw her eyes widen in shock, then delight bloomed as she took in the blanket he had laid out earlier that now had the basket on it. All of which sat picture perfect in front of the scenery. More of the flowers from the garden were sitting on the blanket, a bow wrapped around them finishing the look. He released her so she could pick them up, her fingers running gingerly over the petals.

The scent of salt to the air immediately put him on alert, before she spun around and launched herself into his arms. The surprise from the sudden action landed both of them on the ground. His alarm fading when she pulled back with a beaming smile, the pink tears falling as she swiped them. "This is beautiful! How long have you been planning this?"

He pulled her into a kiss, her reaction everything he had thought it would be, before he answered. "The past few months and every minute was worth it for your happiness. Why don't you look inside the basket?"

Leila nodded, linking their fingers as they stood from their previous place on the forest floor. Vlad felt her ring rub against his fingers, the reminder tugging a smile across his mouth as he watched her face light with joy as she uncovered her favorite icecream.

He spoke up before she could dig in, "I have plans for that, so don't eat all of it." Her eyes flared green as she picked up on what he meant. The green becoming even brighter as she dug further into the basket and found the bags of blood as well. They both knew that he preferred blood to human food, so it was a no brainer what most of that blood was for since both of them had topped off from donors before coming.

(Sex Scene)

Her eyes followed him as the air in the clearing charged with sexual energy. "Will we be eating now or later?" Her word's double meaning was easily caught by him, the green glint to his eyes more of an answer than his actual words.

"That is entirely up to you, the scenery isn't going anywhere and I am finding myself parched. Will it be ladies first this evening?" His words were followed by his arms wrapping around her, his head lowering to drag his stubble against her cheek in the way he knew drove her insane.

She shivered in his arms, loving the feeling of him around her but wanting to be closer, and there was only one other way to be closer than they were now. Her hands slid under his shirt as he pulled her into a kiss, fingers grazing over the taut muscles as she leisurely trailed her fingers up his chest. While she enjoyed teasing him, the brilliant green glint to his eyes was one of her favorite things to see, she had a goal she wanted to accomplish.

Sliding his shirt off and throwing it onto the blanket, she tangled her fingers into his hair and dragged him down into another kiss. In the time it took her to blink he had lowered both of them to the ground with her lying against his chest. "Ladies first it is then."

His mouth was curled upward in amusement as Leila wasted no time in grabbing the icecream. Seeing his amusement, she raised an eyebrow. "Did I misunderstand what you meant when you said you had plans for this? Because I doubt you want to eat it."

Her words were playful, but the question was sincere with curiosity. She could never totally know what he was thinking, but he shook his head. "I'm enjoying your enthusiasm, nothing more. Continue."

Her mouth stretched into a grin of mischief as she dragged her lower half against his groin. The smug smile disappeared off his face as he hissed. "I was reliably informed that my enthusiasm is sexy. If you have a complaint I could always go eat my icecream quietly."

She moved as if to get off of him, the bowl moving away as she gave a shrug, but she didn't get far. The bowl was out of her hands and the contents melted from the heat of his palm before her next blink. His grin was challenging as he tilted the bowl forward to spill over his lower stomach. The droplets slid down, marking a path below his pants.

Leila's eyes riveted to the drops, her tongue sliding out to wet her lips as she envisioned them trailing down his hot, hard length. "I hope you brought more icecream because that is not going to be nearly enough." Her voice was rougher than she had ever allowed it to go, but if the sparks that were coming from Vlad's eyes were any indication he didn't mind it.

"I didn't bring any more of that, but I'm sure you can make do with the blood bags. If you're still thirsty by the time we are finished here then the kitchen will be sure to have more." Leila felt the molten pit in her stomach tighten at the imagery. Oh she was going to enjoy this and possibly continue it later, depending on how much he managed to exhaust her.

Shaking herself back to the present, she trailed her hands down to his belt and made quick work of it. Her fingers curled into his waistband, feeling as they smeared the sticky chocolate around his groin. There was no way that his pants weren't going to get coated now, but she doubted he cared as she dragged them off.

Taking a few seconds to enjoy the sight of her husband in all his glorious nudity, she wrapped both her hands around his length and spread the melted dairy across every bit of skin she could touch. A groan from above her was followed by his hands in her hair, tugging her up to meet his eyes.

"You had better be planning on cleaning that, it's already working its way into uncomfortable places." Leila shot him a grin as she nodded, his hold on her hair loosening as she swallowed him to the hilt in one motion. His fingers tightened sharply as he cursed, the sudden pleasure taking him by surprise only for a moment before his moans came one after the other.

Remembering something she had seen in one of her visions, she relaxed her throat and sank down his length until her nose rested against the softer hair around his groin. Just as he closed his eyes out of arousal, she loosened her jaw and gently bit down on the base. His eyes flew open at the action, swinging down to stare into hers.

Now that she had his attention… She put just enough pressure to be felt and dragged her teeth along the first inch of the base, swallowing around him to tighten her throat in the same motion.

The hand in her hair disappeared, reaching above him to grip onto the grass as his eyes rolled back into his head. She watched with satisfaction as her husband shredded the grass and the dirt surrounding them. Thin tendrils of smoke came from where his fingers touched the earth but she wasn't afraid. It was rare that Vlad let go of control, the fire hazard it could be always in the forefront of his mind, but with her most recent coating of his essence it wouldn't hurt her and she was determined to make him completely come undone.

When she could feel him start to drag it back under control she swallowed again, sliding her tongue along his balls in the same motion and nearly purring when his back arched off the ground. If his reactions were anything to go by it wouldn't be long before he completely lost it.

Reaching a hand between them, she found the sensitive spot between his length and his balls. She wasn't entirely sure how well this would work but considering how he liked her electricity on the non erogenous zones of his body she couldn't see him not liking them here…

Using her thumb and pointer finger, she prodded at the spot with her charged hand in the same moment she swallowed him. The howl he let loose would be her new goal to make happen from now on as the grass burst into flame in his hands. He didn't even try to get control of it this time as she immediately repeated the motion, using her other hand to fondle his balls.

She could feel his power building under his skin, practically seeing it glowing in his veins as he approached his climax. She wasn't worried about him coming early since vampires had insane recovery time. Besides, this was one of the best sights she had seen in...well ever and if he was as happy with it as he looked to be then she would make sure to perfect it for the future.

The temperature around them rose as he inched closer to his release, the grass drying up and the water near them starting to steam. She should try this later once he was in the water to see if she could turn the area into a sauna…

His climax came with a loud shout, the words spoken in Ancient Romanian so even with her new understanding of Romanian she couldn't tell what he was saying. A flash bomb of fire rolled around them, thankfully she had been doing better with her fear of it lately or she might have bitten down on accident. The fire died out almost as quickly as it appeared as his back arched hard off the ground, the motion making her grip his hips to stay seated on him as he released down her throat.

Each shot was burning hot, his body twitching even after he fired off the last one. Once she was sure he was done, she pulled back and locked eyes with him as he slid out of her mouth. He had mentioned once that the sight was insanely arousing so she would use that to her advantage.

Another, weaker, groan came from him as he let his head fall back, only now noticing the ash that surrounded them. Picking up his head, he took stock of the area and snorted when he saw the perfect circle he had burned around them. It went out three feet in all directions and the basket, blanket and flowers had not survived the blast.

Leila's grin of supreme satisfaction clearly stated that she didn't mind in the slightest. Now that he could think clearly again, he dragged her up against his front while ignoring the spots of icecream she had failed to clean up before. "And where did you learn that?"

His tone was too sated to be anything but curious, causing Leila to grin as she rested on top of his still cooling chest. "From a mixture of books, Cat, Kira and my own curiosity. I take it you approve?"

He snorted, rolling over so he hovered over her while ignoring the slight shake his limbs still had. "As if you need to ask, although we will want to limit that to places we don't mind being on fire. I barely managed to stop the blast from going out past the radius it did."

Her grin stretched to a smug smile, "Good, next time I'll be sure to distract you so you completely lose it. Although if you're worried about setting things on fire we might want to just invest in a clear plot of dirt or sand because you've proven you can burn through stone."

Vlad stared down at her incredulously, "You purposely tried to get me to set fire to our surroundings?"

She shrugged unrepentantly, "Yes, I can remember at least three separate times when _I_ caught the bed on fire and _you_ had to put it out. Why wouldn't I want you to completely lose control like I do? Besides, your essence is still coating me so it's not that big of a thing."

He hummed, acknowledging her point as he raked his gaze down her body. "My turn." The words were growled, the scent of her arousal was overpowering now that he wasn't completely enraptured in what she was doing to him.

This part of her surprise had been the easiest to plan since he knew she would enjoy it. His hands took their time removing her clothes, shifting her away from the ashes to lay mere feet from the water's edge. He had plans for the water later, but for now he would focus on his lovely wife who was staring up at him with her glowing eyes, waiting for him to do as he pleased with her.

He only mourned the loss of the blood bags that had gone up with the basket for a moment before making do with what he had. Reaching over to the pond he dipped his fingers in before pulling back to let it drip down onto her, the droplets sliding along her skin easily and leaving clear trails for him to follow. He kept an eye open to watch her reactions as he trailed his tongue against her sides, amusement briefly flaring when she squirmed.

He hadn't known she was ticklish there, but he would remember for later. Confusion colored her eyes when instead of moving down as she had done, he moved up to trail kisses along her chest. He stopped to bite directly over her heart, laving the already fading mark with his tongue before moving on to her shoulders.

She had relaxed again, her arms coming up to wrap around his neck as he languidly kissed along her body. He stopped by her ear to growl into it, "Do you know what you do to me? Even when you're not trying to arouse me, your presence, the way you walk, even when you're glowering at me during one of our fights, you call to me. Every action from you causes a reaction in me and when I touch you it alights all of my nerves with passion even with the most innocent of caresses."

He stopped briefly to hover over her mouth, locking eyes with her as a pink sheen covered the green of arousal. "This past year has been one of the best of my life, having you by my side to chase away that hollowness I lived with for centuries after Clara and my son's deaths is more happiness than I ever thought I deserved. I will strive to make the years ahead of us even better, every object in our home will pulse with the memories we will make together and there won't be an inch on you that isn't covered by me. I love you, Leila Dalton and nothing will ever change that."

A strangled noise came from her throat as her arms tightened around him, her tears were hidden as she nuzzled into his shoulder. When she spoke it was gravely with emotion and it immediately sent pleasure through him. "Don't you know? That's not my name anymore, I'm Leila Dracul now."

A wide smile stretched across his mouth, dropping to kiss her tenderly. "That you are and you shall always be." Feeling the achingly tender emotions practically pouring off of her, he opened the bond and let her feel his as well. The shudder that rolled through her made pride bloom in his chest, her body reacted to him just as he did to her. He would never be tired of seeing that.

Continuing his trail up her arms, he stopped at her hands and kissed the palm. Trailing his tongue and lips between each finger before slowly making his way to the other arm to repeat the motion. He could feel the effect that tenderness had on her, the arousal battling with the love openly in her eyes as she watched him drift down between her legs.

He flicked another round of droplets over her legs before continuing the process, only stopping when he could feel her about to burst from the tension. His mouth hovered over her center, enjoying seeing the near desperate haze to her eyes. When she spoke her words were guttural and they snapped his restraint as easily as a dry twig.

"I love you, Vladislav Basarab Dracul. Now hurry up, because I want to be entertwined with you so deeply that I won't know where you start and I finish."

Her words broke off on a moan when his tongue thrust into her folds, she knew just what to say to get him hard again. He could already feel his length thickening between them and by the time he finished dragging her to the edge with his mouth he would be ready again.

Her taste was familiar, one that he had fallen in love with and would enjoy for the many years to come as he raked her center with his tongue. Wrapping his lips around her clit, he sucked in the same moment he pressed three of his fingers into her folds. Her body jolted against him, the electricity surging into him making him moan on instinct and dragging an answering gasp from her lips.

He wouldn't hold out long for this, usually he would spread the foreplay out for at least a few more minutes until she was begging to continue but she wasn't the only one who burned for their connection. Their joining brought them as close as any two people could be, there were times Vlad could swear he felt their souls blending together until there was no her and him, only them.

He kept up his teasing flicks and sucking until he couldn't stand it anymore and her juices flowed freely from her twitching cavern. Removing his fingers, he positioned himself above her in the next instant. The head of his erection laid against her opening, he held her gaze as he pressed forward. Every inch was slow, torturously so, but he never let his eyes leave hers. Her walls contracted around him but after a token resistance formed around him in a velvety hug until he had sheathed himself entirely inside of her.

Her nails raked down his sides as she shuddered underneath him, her hips trying to roll against him but his hands held them still. He chuckled only to break it off on a moan as she tightened just so around him that it dragged him further inside. "Slow down, breath in our scent and take in everything. I want you to remember this everytime you think of our first anniversary in the many centuries to come."

After another moan of complaint, Leila did as told. Slowly she focused on the smell of cinnamon, smoke and forest that was uniquely them. The scent intoxicated her as she turned inwardly to feel every twitch he gave against her insides, the power in him practically vibrating inside her as he slowly pulled back only to thrust in within seconds.

The slow pace made her writhe and gasp as he dragged the head along the bundle of nerves inside her walls with every retreat. The feeling pulled a choked scream from her throat, the syllables vaguely sounding like his name as she teetered on the edge of her orgasm.

Sensing how painfully close she was, he shifted their position until he sat upright while still connected to her. Her legs wrapped around his hips, tightening and trying to drag him closer every time he pulled out. Knowing just what would send her over, he growled. "Open your eyes, My Darling and don't close them again."

A shaky moan was his answer as pleasure glazed green eyes met his own. He trailed the hand that wasn't supporting her against his hips down to where they were connected, her eyes following his movements until his fingers loosely bracketed their joining.

The sight of him disappearing into her, feeling him press against her walls when he vanished from her sight only to feel him drag himself out as he retreated again pulled her over. Throwing her head back, she choked out a scream of his name while her power surged into him.

The electricity and her vice-like grip around him dragged him to his climax as he buried himself one last time before he followed her into ecstasy. Once the aftershocks rolled through them, he switched their positions and pulled out. Leila's still faintly pulsing body wrapped languidly around his own, not wanting to lose the breathtaking connection that left her aching with his love.

His arms wrapped around her, enjoying the peace and soaking in their bond while they both recovered. He could feel the ash and left over icecream sticking to him in uncomfortable places, the mess spreading to Leila as well who couldn't be made to care as she snuggled closer. That had been another reason he had wanted to do this near the water, easier to wash the residue away once they were finished. Although the ash hadn't been part of his plan, he couldn't complain. The things she had done to him earlier,...he felt his length twitch in a valiant effort to harden as he remembered.

They would have to be careful in the future, while that had been incredible he didn't want to burn down their room every time Leila got into the mood to reduce him to an incoherent mess.

Leila relaxed against his chest, eyeing the water not far from their resting place with languid curiosity. He could tell she was comfortable, but her want to swim was slowly winning out over her wish to continue using him as a pillow. That had been another reason he had chosen this location, aside from the scenic beauty of it, he knew she would enjoy swimming in the clear water as well.

Besides, he had no problem with washing off the last of the various things they each had on them from their tumble on the forest floor. The icecream she had missed didn't bother him but the twigs and leaves he could faintly feel in his hair were irritating. He had originally planned to make love on the blanket but it had also been reduced to ash. An addition that he certainly hadn't minded to his plan.

Before any of those inconveniences could truly become irritating, Leila lifted her weight off of him reluctantly. "As much as I'm enjoying this, that water looks heavenly. Care to join me?"

He answered by lifting her into his arms and after a moment of thought for his wife's love to play games, he gathered her closer to his chest before jumping into the water with her still in his arms. The second they resurfaced she started laughing, the grin she wore telling him he had made the correct choice.

A flash of mischief lit her gaze as her hands settled on his shoulders, the cause not far behind as she shoved her weight up and used the momentum to dunk him below the water. He could have easily stopped her, but she seemed to be having fun with this so he would go along with it. Besides, he was getting ideas now that he was down here.

His arms wrapped around her legs and hoisted them up onto his shoulder, her laughter hitting his ears even below the surface of the water. Once he resurfaced he flew both of them up to the top of the waterfall, pausing to look meaningfully down at Leila. Her eyes widened as realization of what he was planning dawned. Before she could utter a word, he pried her hands off his shoulders and dropped her into the water.

She laughed as she did flips on the way down, easily dropping into a dive just in time to hit the water. She resurfaced less than a minute later, grinning up at him. The joy in her eyes warmed him as he dropped back down to land in the water next to her. The instant he hit the water, she grinned. Before he could puzzle out what she was up to, she brought her arms down to splash him.

The wave was small, barely coming up to his chest. He smirked back at her, if she wanted to play like that… He shifted his arm out and propelled the water toward her, sending a much bigger wave her way. She sputtered when it settled back into the lake, the smile never leaving her lips as she swam closer.

He half expected her to dunk him again and he was ready to retaliate if she did. Instead of doing that, she wrapped him into a hug and rested against his chest, seemingly happy to float with him for the moment.

He returned the embrace, the water around them cooling as evening began to break. A snort passed his ear, catching his attention. Before he could ask, she tugged something out of his hair and held it out in front of him.

The twig that had bothered him before sat in her palm, the cheeky grin on her face showing her amusement with the situation. "Do you want to wash up here or back at home?"

Most of the grime had been cleaned off in their water war, but apparently some still clung to him. "Here is fine, I find myself loath to head back just yet." She hummed against his chest, flicking the twig away and beginning to comb through his hair to find the other leaves still in it.

Thankfully most of them were already out and after a few moments the rest floated leisurely near them. Leila nodded in satisfaction when she ran her hand through his hair without meeting obstacles. The affection in her eyes had him pulling her back toward the shore. While he enjoyed their swimming, he couldn't properly hold her in the water and with her staring at him with her heart in her eyes he wanted nothing more than to wrap himself around her.

She didn't fight him as he hefted both of them up onto land, content to lean against him while he returned the favor of picking out the twigs in her hair. Once done he leaned back against the bank, content to watch the colors of the sky change with his wife curled contently against his chest.

The setting sun bathed everything in an orange glow, the sight becoming even more breathtaking as the array of colors shifted from the bright oranges and yellows to the dark purples and blues of night.

A sigh brushed against his neck, the absolute contentment in Leila's scent and the look of sated pleasure on her face made pride swell in his chest. Today had been a great success and he couldn't wait to plan out next year's anniversary. Somehow he would have to make it even more special than this one, he wasn't sure how he would yet but he had a year to think on it.

"Shall we head back? It is going to become chilly soon." A lazy hum of agreement is the only answer he received, making a smile tug on his lips. Apparently he had thoroughly exhausted his wife with the day's activities. Not that it was any surprise to him, that had been his goal after all, but it was nice to see her so relaxed. At the beginning of their relationship she had been uncomfortable being naked with him aside from their love making.

Now here she was a little over a year later, bare and making no moves for her clothes while lounging across his chest like a contented cat in the sun. The display of quiet confidence made pride bloom in his chest for how far she had come in the past year. And as he gathered her into his arms to begin the journey back to the castle, he noted that he had also come quite a ways.

He had never expected how much of an impact Leila had on his life, but as he laid down later that night with her contently dozing in his arms, he knew that he would never regret how thoroughly she had captured his heart.


	37. The Vase Incident

Hey guys! Another one that came and demanded to be written. I should be coming out with a second one to Wedding Bells soon, if I don't get sidetracked anymore. Eh not likely, but I'll try. Anyway, enjoy this AU of what could have happened in Mencheres book if Vlad and Leila had already been together.

Vlad listened as Mencheres waited for Kira to finish her shower. Her earlier upset tugged at his curiosity and he wasn't above listening in to sate his curiosity. As far as he could see there was no reason for her extreme reaction to the mention of Tenoch's suicide.

Distantly, he heard Leila making her way to the lounge he currently sat in, but he focused on the voice of his honorary sire. Usually he left Leila at home when he left on business, but Mencheres had insisted that Vlad's battle prowess wouldn't be needed. WIth no threat in sight he had seen no reason to not bring Leila. There were sights that he would like to bring her to see before they left. He was sure that while she had traveled much as a circus performer she wouldn't have had the chance to enjoy it.

Mencheres voice snapped Vlad out of his musings, he stiffened in shock as he listened to the man he saw as a father admit that he had planned to commit suicide. Mencheres had sworn to him centuries ago to never follow this path, not after Vlad had to live through Tenochs and then his wife's suicide and yet here they were.

Jumping up from the couch he had previously been lounged on, he began to pace furiously. He hadn't noticed anything wrong with Mencheres lately, but obviously the temporary loss of his powers had more of an effect than Vlad had anticipated. The thought that Mencheres would be dead now if it weren't for Kira's good fortune in finding him when she did was sickening to Vlad. He had already lost two of the people closest to him to the grave, relief poured through his veins that his oldest friend hadn't been added to that list.

Rage shouldered his relief back, if Mencheres had been having such thoughts he should have come to him! He would have listened, he would have helped.

His strides shortened as his emotions frothed, he listened intently as Mencheres continued on to admit his plan to wait for the next opportunity before trying again. Jerking to a stop, Vlad gave up on controlling his rage at the newest admission from his father figure. Not thinking clearly, but needing to destroy something, Vlad reached out and grasped a nearby vase. It was sturdy in his hand and weighed a good deal, perfect for getting some of his emotions out. Before he could think better of it he whirled around and threw the china at the opposite wall.

In his current state he hadn't bothered to check if the doorway was clear before throwing the vase, but the sound of a high, feminine cry of pain sent icy dread through his veins. Spinning around, Vlad spat a string of curses at the sight that met him.

_  
Leila hadn't even seen the vase coming. One minute she was walking toward Vlad, worried over his frozen state and the almost palpable rage pouring off him, and the next something collided with her head. The force behind the object sent her slamming back against the wall behind her, her head throbbed in time with her heartbeat as blood slid down from the new injury.

Dizziness had her sliding down to the ground, the pain from her head and the glass shards that were undoubtedly buried into her eyes making her stomach roll uncomfortably. Even through her suddenly murky thoughts, she knew that whatever had hit her had to have been thrown by Vlad. Nobody else would have been able to throw something with enough force to slam her back against the wall like that. If the drilling pain was any indication, he hadn't been holding anything back either.

Dimly, she heard him let out a set of truly impressive curses that under other circumstances she would have applauded for creativity.

Trying to open her eyes resulted in firey pain and a spike in her new headache. Resolving to keep them closed, she reached up with a shaking hand and tried to apply pressure to the gash she could feel across her nose. Blood gushed between her fingers, she felt as it slid down her hand before dripping to pool at her feet.

In the next second, familiar scarred hands cupped her face. Carefully, Vlad tugged Leila's hands away from the gash only to hiss when the full extent of the injury was revealed.

The vase had hit her dead center between her eyes, the glass shattering on impact to spread into her eyes as well as cutting sections of her face to ribbons. On top of those injuries, a long gash spread across her nose from the actual impact of the vase.

Mentally raging at his actions, he pulled back enough to bite his wrist. Not wasting a moment, he put it to Leila's mouth. One of her blood stained hands came up to grip his forearm, the sight twisting something in his chest as she drank from him.

As he watched the skin knit together he steamed inwardly. While he hadn't done it on purpose he had still caused a severe injury to someone he cared deeply for. There was no excuse for that.

After the last of the skin healed and the blood was left, Vlad used his sleeve to wipe the excess away. The fabric caught onto the remaining shards, making him use his hand to brush the rest off of her face.

Leila leaned her weight against his side, swaying when she tried to move away. The action informed him that the force behind the vase must have caused moderate to extreme head trauma.

Knowing his own strength and what he could do with it, he was betting on it being extreme. He hadn't been expecting Leila there and hadn't bothered to hold any of his considerable power back when he had thrown the vase.

With the amount of strength he had put behind it, he could only be happy that the vase hadn't hit her throat. That would have killed her on impact. As it stood, if it weren't for the weekly doses of his blood, it was possible her current injury would have killed her.

At the sight of her somewhat clean face, Vlad felt relief at the healed skin. Leila still had her eyes clenched shut, wary of another wave of pain.

Stroking his thumb against her jaw, he reassured her. "You can open your eyes now, it's healed and I don't have the words to describe how regretful I am for this. I didn't see you-"

He trailed off when she opened her eyes, only to blink in confusion. Her confusion quickly turned to fear when nothing met her gaze. Ice settled in Vlad's veins as her unfocused eyes looked straight through him.

"Vlad, I can't see!?" Her voice pitched high in fear as her current blind state settled in. The sound snapped him into action, pulling her into his arms as he called for Mencheres. His hands stroked comfortingly through her hair as she fought to keep her breathing even. The sight of Leila's face painted with terror, her voice cracking from it, burned into his memory as he did his best to comfort her.

There was no reason his blood shouldn't have healed her, so why wasn't her sight fixed? Mencheres sprinted into the room in the next instant, Vlad's urgent tone and volume sending a bolt of pure adrenaline through him. Taking in the situation in one glance, he moved to stand next to Vlad and Leila.

Vlad didn't wait for him to speak before he explained the situation, never pausing in his stroking. "I didn't see Leila enter and threw a vase at what I thought was an empty doorway. I gave her my blood, but her eyesight hasn't returned." The unsaid 'Why?' hung between them as Mencheres face set into a deep grimace.

Moving to stand in front of Leila, he spoke. "I am going to examine your eyes, it may be uncomfortable but try not to squirm." Vlad shifted until he was behind her, his hands snaking up to hold her face still and stop any accidental movements.

When Mencheres began prodding, Leila instinctively jolted against Vlad's hands. Pain shot through her eyes with each careful poke. She tried to pull back again only to get nowhere as Vlad's hands tightened slightly.

Forcing her blind terror down was easier said than done, but she ground her teeth and waited for the ancient pharaoh to be finished. Every second felt like agony and the only thing that gave her relief was the feel of Vlad's hands on her face. His touch was comforting, even if he was currently holding her still.

Hearing her thoughts, Vlad shifted forward and pressed his chest to her back. The action having the desired effect of making Leila relax back into him. Instant comfort rolled over Leila, the added strength giving her the fortitude to stay still for the rest of the examination.

Mencheres pulled away minutes later, the grim frown on his face immediately setting Vlad on edge. "The pieces of glass are scattered in her retinas and irises. Instead of pushing them out before her eyes healed, your blood healed the skin around them, effectively trapping the shards where they lie. The vase must have traces of silver in it to cause such a thing."

Dread swept through Vlad, that sounded like it had permanent consequences. Leila came to the same conclusion, her body instinctively shifting further into his chest for comfort at the revelation. Not giving it a second thought, he tightened his arms around her. "What can be done? There must be something that I can do to fix this."

Mencheres stroked his chin as he considered the problem, "The only solution I can think of, is to reopen the injury and remove the shards manually. Once you are sure all of them are gone, pour your blood over the open injury again. I advise having an opthamologist do the operation and do a thorough check after a week to be sure the shards are gone before using your blood. It would minimize the risk of any shards being left behind to cause problems later."

Equal parts relief and frustration rolled in Vlad. On the one hand it was healable, but on the other they needed a doctor. His mountain home was perfect for defense because it was isolated, but in this situation it put him at a disadvantage. The nearest town with a doctor was hours away by flight, and he didn't trust just any doctor to perform on Leila while she was in such a state. He would only be comfortable if it was one of his own doctors but it would be days before they could go home.

Even if he did trust the nearest doctor, he didn't have time to fly Leila to the town with the meeting with Veritas coming up fast. It was rare for his honorary sire to ask anything of him and he couldn't back out now. They had no one else to fill in for him that could be there in time.

That only left him with the option of leaving a newly defenseless Leila alone for however long the meeting lasted.

Coming to the same conclusion, Leila put on a brave face. "I'll be fine, you guys do what you have to and we can get this fixed later. It's not like I'm a stranger to doing what's necessary." She said it with a pained grimace, making Vlad hiss under his breath.

He hated that it was even necessary to begin with, but there was no other option. "I'll bring you to whichever room you'd like, but you need to stay in it until we return. This house is a fortress in it's own right, but in your current state there are too many hazards for you to be wandering without knowing your way around. Once we are finished with Mencheres errand I will take you home where you will be seen by my in house physicians."

Brushing a kiss to Leila's forehead, Vlad spoke with a quieter tone. "I apologize that any of this is necessary."

Leila forced a smile, knowing how much he was beating himself up on the inside didn't make her feel any better about the situation. "Stop blaming yourself, it was an accident. Why were you throwing stuff anyway?"

The reminder of his sire's conversation made Vlad's eyes flare green, lifting his gaze he stared directly into Mencheres eyes. The unsaid "we will be talking later" made Mencheres release a sigh but nodded in agreement. It had been foolish of him to hope that Vlad would let it go. It was better to get the discussion out of the way at the earliest opportunity.

"I will return to Kira, she will be concerned." With that he walked out of the room, leaving Vlad and Leila alone for their next discussion.

Vlad sighed deeply, leading Leila to the couch and guiding her down on it before beginning to speak. "As you are aware, I lost my wife and sire to suicide. It was brought to my attention that another close friend of mine attempted to take his own life. I wasn't thinking clearly and lashed out. You were in the wrong place, at the wrong time as the saying goes."

Leila didn't have to see his expression to know it would be scrunched with distress over both the news and her injury. That did explain his reaction though, Vlad didn't seem the type to break things when he was angry so for him to do so, he must have been pushed to an extreme degree. Hearing of a friends almost suicide would certainly fit the bill.

Leila pulled her hands up, tracing along his chest up to his neck before stopping to cradle his face. It was odd to not see his face, but she would make do with what she had until she was healed again. Vlad would never admit to wanting comfort, but he was more than entitled to it after that news.

His mouth twitched at Leila's caring, despite her current situation. His hand came up to hold one of her own, only to freeze as his fingers brushed the scars on her wrist. He had known they were there before, but he hadn't truly paid them any mind. Now with the news that the one who he had thought would never try to end his own life had attempted just that, Vlad felt a new alarm at the scars.

"Swear to me on your mother's grave that you will never attempt to take your own life for any reason. If you ever feel even mildly tempted, have a member of the staff bring you to me. I don't care what I'm doing, I will make time for you." Leila felt a flash of sympathy, but instead of showing that she nodded.

Vlad's grip tightened slightly, "I need more than a nod, I want your verbal promise." Hearing how serious he was, Leila did so. The near miss with his friend must have really rattled him to make him push this out of her but she had no intention of ending her life. So this wasn't something difficult to give him. Running her hands through his hair, Leila started.

"I swear to you, Vladislav Basarab Dracul, on my mother's grave that I will never try to end my life. If I ever feel even slightly like I'm slipping I'll find you immediately. Sounds good?"

His lips closed over hers in the next instant, his hands coming up to twist into her hair and pull her as physically close as he could. When he pulled away moments later, Leila was out of breath and one of her hands rested against his jaw.

Vlad raised his hand to cover hers, interlocking their fingers before dragging them down to kiss her palm. His lips trailing further down her wrist until he rested over the marks.

Leila tensed as he stopped over the scars, she could practically feel his eyes on her. The chiming of the clock broke the tension, making Leila jerk in surprise and Vlad pull away with a sigh. That meant it was time for them to head out to meet Veritas.

Dropping her hand, he stroked her face. He hated leaving her here alone, but he couldn't refuse Mencheres. If it had been anyone else, he would already be on a plane home but it wasn't and there was no reason to ponder on useless what if's.

"Before we leave, where would you like me to bring you?" Leila tilted her head as she thought on it. She hadn't really had a chance to explore since they got here, "Can you bring me to whichever room you plan on sleeping in?"

Confusion flashed through Vlad even as he picked Leila up and began moving to comply. It took seconds to stride into his room and place Leila on the bed. His confusion was abated when Leila immediately curled up on the pillow he had previously used and pulled the blankets around her. He smelled as her unease slipped away as she took comfort from his scent and the warm blankets.

A harsh sigh pushed out of his lungs, he needed to leave now or he wouldn't be able to make himself. Dropping a kiss to her forehead, he spoke. "We should be back in two hours at most. Is there anything you need before we leave?"

Leila shook her head, an exhausted yawn pushing out before she smothered it against the pillow. Vlad waited by the door an extra moment, watching Leila inhale his scent deeply before sighing comfortably.

Mencheres called out to him from the front door, his tone portraying both his urgency and his regret that it was necessary. Vlad turned after one last glance back, focusing on his current task so he could get back to her post haste. The faster he helped Mencheres, the sooner Leila could be seen and have this whole mess cleared up.

"What do you mean, she will have to remain blind for two weeks?" Vlad's tone was icily pleasant and immediately sent off warning bells in Leila's mind.

Reaching toward his voice, she tried to grab his arm to calm him down. While she wasn't ecstatic about the news either, he shouldn't take it out on the innocent doctor.

She completely missed his arm, her reach over balancing her from her spot on the hospital bed and almost sending her onto the floor. Vlad's quick grip around her waist being the only thing that stopped that very scenario from happening.

She felt her face flare with embarrassment at her almost fall, but she pushed past it ruthlessly. Instead, she traced her way back to his hand that now stretched across her stomach and rested on her hip. That wasn't how she had wanted to do that, but it still worked.

_There's no need to snap at the doctor because she said something we don't want to hear. _She didn't feel like saying it aloud. Even without her sight, she could practically feel Vlad wrestling his irritation back. When he spoke again, his voice wasn't as dangerously lethal as before but still clearly showed his displeasure.

"Explain." Leila squeezed his arm gently, a reminder to stay cool, as she forced her own panic down as she came to terms with the fact that she wouldn't be getting her sight back anytime in the next few weeks. The thought definitely didn't appeal to her, but if there was nothing they could do about it then freaking out would do nothing but make Vlad feel even worse about the ordeal.

Vlad's arm tensed under her fingers, reminding her that he could hear her inner turmoil. Instead of commenting on it, he pulled her in front of him until she rested back against his chest with his arm still wrapped around her waist. Just as before, his touch made comfort smother her panic and allowed her to relax back against him.

The doctor's voice pulled her attention back to the present, "Unfortunately, the operation that is needed is extensive to ensure no pieces of glass are left behind. We would need to do three separate operations, one per week, to ensure that there is nothing left behind to cause future issues. Her body needs to heal in between the surgeries and your blood can't be used to quicken that. If your blood seals the eyes around the pieces again we might not be able to fix it next time."

Leila was impressed with how calm the doctor's tone was, considering how dangerous Vlad sounded. If he sounded dangerous then chances are, he looked it too. She made a mental note to apologize to her later for his sometimes terrifying temper.

Vlad let out a huff from behind her, the breath brushing the back of her neck and sending jitters down her spine. It was weird, now that her sight was temporarily downed all of her other senses had increased to painful degrees. Every sound, smell and touch felt amplified to insane levels and it was all she could do to stay calm through all the overwhelming stimuli.

The familiar low, rumbling tone dragged her attention to the present, "When can you start the first procedure?" The question made her lean forward in anticipation. The sooner they got it started, the sooner she could get her sight back.

"We can start it today if she wants, but you should know that nausea, loss of appetite, and pain are common side effects after surgery. The nausea and vomiting will occur after each surgery and should fade after a few days but the loss of appetite could last for up to two or three months. Some pain is normal, but if it becomes extreme then we need to pull you back in to be sure an infection hasn't taken root."

While her voice was comforting, Leila still felt a thrill of terror when the words sank in. The thought of going under a knife was already terrifying, but the idea of the wound getting infected made her stomach roll. She had figured it wouldn't be a walk in the park to fix the damage, but she hadn't guessed it would be _this_ complicated.

Vlad's teeth ground less than three inches from her ear, immediately making her feel guilty for her thoughts. It wasn't like he had meant for this to happen.

His voice brushed past her ear, bending over until only she could hear. "Stop walking on eggshells around me, I will carry remorse over this whether you wish me to or not. Focus on keeping yourself calm and staying healthy. Let me deal with everything else."

It didn't take much convincing for her to agree, it wasn't like she could really _do_ anything right now anyway. As the doctor continued to discuss what she couldn't and shouldn't do until she was healed completely, her wariness ate at her.

At the mention of not being able to do anything strenuous, she bit back a groan. _I'm going to go crazy with boredom after the first few days…_ she could never stay still for more than a few minutes at a time and now she would have to relax for _weeks_.

She absentmindedly sent a thought back to Vlad, _I hope you have some idea of how to keep me busy because I'll be driving you crazy just for something to do within a week_. The thought was meant to bring humor into their grim situation, but Vlad just scoffed from behind her.

"I have survived centuries of inane babble of the various people I have surrounded myself with. You won't drive me to insanity by merely using my company as a distraction from your current circumstance." She inclined her head in acknowledgement, the man had a point but if he did get irritated she could say she had warned him.

After some more talk about what to expect, it was decided to start the surgery as quickly as possible to give her eyes the most time to heal before the next one.

The next few hours were spent with the doctor poking, prodding and running tests on Leila's eyes until the doctor was satisfied she had all the information she would need. In that time, Vlad's hand hadn't left hers once. Whether it was from guilt or because he knew his touch was the only thing keeping her moderately calm, she didn't know but she appreciated it.

When the time came to start the surgery, her nerves were fried. Leila's grip on Vlad's hand had to be painful but she couldn't make myself loosen it as she fought the urge to run. Even if her sight wasn't wiped out she wouldn't have gotten far with Vlad there.

The mental image of her running head first into a wall while trying to escape was comical, and completely possible given the current circumstances. The doctor nudged her to lie on the bed, the antiseptic smell clogging her nose and the uncomfortable paper gown underneath further grating on her nerves.

"You need to let go of her hand now, _voivode. _Your hovering over her would make the surgery considerably more stressful for the nurses." The words sent a whole new level of fear through Leila.

Vlad's hand started to loosen even as one hard thought flashed across her mind. _Oh __hell_ _no, that is not happening._

Her grip latched onto him in the next instant, if he wanted her to let go he would have to knock her out or pry her hand off of him. Nothing else would make her release him now. The rising panic would consume her in a heartbeat if she did…

Vlad began speaking rapid fire Romanian, his tone saying clearly that his hand was going nowhere, much to Leila's relief. She could hear the doctor's frustration in her reply, even though she didn't understand the words. Leila would feel guilty about making this more difficult later, once her fear was back to a manageable level, but for now she was going to cling to the only thing that made her calm until she felt steady enough to let go of him.

After more arguing, Vlad directed his next words to Leila. "You can hold my hand until they put you under the effects of anesthesia but then I'm going to have to give them room to work. Rest assured I _won't_ be leaving your side until you are conscious again." His emphasis on the word 'won't' made her think that had been one of the major points of his and the doctor's arguing but she didn't care. The knowledge that he would be there through it all made comfort sweep through her better than any medication could.

The doctor gave a resigned sigh, "Of course you will." Leila would feel bad about the stress they were causing her later. As the plastic mask slid over her face, she fought the instinctive flash of panic. She never had liked the feeling of being forced unconscious. Vlad's squeeze on her hand grounded her until the medicine took effect and she felt the edges of consciousness fade. The last thing she remembered was his lips brushing her knuckles before placing the hand on the uncomfortable sheets beneath her.

The next time she woke up, the first thing she noticed was an itchy bandage was wrapped around her eyes. There were pads placed underneath, but the fabric still made her want to rip it off.

Vlad's voice pulled her attention away from the tempting thought. "You won't be doing that, unless you'd like your recovery to last even longer than necessary. As it stands, you won't be able to see with or without it on so you may as well leave it be."

She knew that, but it still itched and it would only get worse the longer it stayed on. To distract herself, she turned in the direction she thought he was in before speaking.

"I know, but it's still irritating. So what's the plan now that the first surgery is done?" She moved to sit up to hear his answer, only to immediately lower herself back down. Her stomach rolled in warning for her to not do that again. She had forgotten the nurse's warning about nausea.

Vlad's warmer hand rested on her upper arm, gently pushing her down again. "The plan is to keep you in my bedroom until you are healed to minimize the risk of further injuring yourself."

Immediately, Leila knew that wasn't going to work. Knowing that he would have overheard her thought, she continued on to explain. "Vlad, I can't just stay in your room until I can see again. For one, it's huge and I would never be able to make it from one piece of furniture to another without falling over. For two, while your bathroom has a shower it does not have a toilet and I'm going to need that. I can't walk over forty yards to use the restroom anytime the need rises."

His hands froze as he considered her words, the fingers lightly gripping the muscle of her arms before he grunted. "You make a valid point. You shall stay in your room across from mine and should you wish to leave get myself or one of the staff to escort you. Absolutely no gymnastics." His tone was firm on the last sentence, making Leila grimace.

"Oh come on! I can do stretching without hurting myself at least…" The doctor chose that moment to chime in.

"Actually until the nausea passes you won't be able to and even afterwards I wouldn't advise it. All the extra blood pressure to your head could cause problems with the surgery."

Leila could practically feel Vlad's satisfaction. "Fine. What _can _I do?" She did her best to keep the snappish tone out of her voice, but she knew that she hadn't completely succeeded. Considering the current situation, she doubted they'd hold it against her later.

"I'm afraid there's not much you can do. You could listen to music or movies to pass the time. Get in as much sleep as you can, since that is when the body does most of its healing. Also, be sure to eat foods packed with nutrients and calories. The faster your body has what it needs to heal, the quicker you get your sight back."

A sigh pushed from her lungs as she nodded in acceptance. No reason to try to fight it, although the thought of spending weeks in bed while listening to movies was enough to make the idea of sleeping through the entire month sound great.

Warm hands tightened on her arms again before the familiar low baritone rumbled from behind her. "Since you are awake and the doctor has been doing scans on your health since the surgery finished I shall bring you to your room to rest. If your stomach's reaction is any indication, you won't be in any condition to stand for a while yet."

Grimacing, Leila nodded. Her stomach still shifted uncomfortably from her last attempt so she wasn't going to try to do it again. At least, not for a while. Arms slid under her legs and back, pulling her against a toasty warm chest that smelled of cinnamon.

She had never noticed what he smelled like before, but now she'd never be able to smell it again without thinking of him. Once she was settled in his arms, he began walking to her room. Each step caused her stomach to do a flip, making her hold her breath while hoping it didn't decide to empty its contents while in Vlad's arms.

Thankfully by the time he put her down on the familiar sheets of her room, her stomach hadn't decided to revolt. The sound of something being set not far from the bed caught her attention.

"It's a garbage can, should you need it." Leila nodded, already feeling irritated with the situation. She couldn't even make it to the bathroom if she needed to vomit. All she could do was hope that it settled again soon.

Warm lips brushed her forehead before the other side of the bed dipped. Vlad's arms curled around her as he shifted to lie against her side. "Do you want me to start a movie or would you prefer to simply rest?"

Exhaustion dogged her, making her fight off a yawn as she replied. "I don't care, you pick." Shifting over, Leila curled into Vlad's chest until the familiar comfort rolled over her. As long as he stayed still for her to cuddle against she didn't care what he chose to do.

A huff of breath breezed over the top of her head, Vlad's voice following shortly. "In that case, I shall leave the movie until later. You were in the middle of reading a book earlier this evening weren't you?"

Leila felt confusion at his odd question, "Yeah but obviously it's going to be a bit before I can get to it."

The sound of rummaging in the nightstand was her only answer until he made a soft sound of discovery. Before she could ask, Vlad's voice began reading her book. The words seemed to blur together after a few minutes, the previous exhaustion dragging Leila down. She had never known how nice it would be, just listening to Vlad read. As she drifted off she made a mental note to ask him to do this again in the future, after she had recovered.

A harsh twisting in her stomach woke Leila a few hours later. The sheets tangled around her as she tried to lurch for the garbage can she vaguely remembered Vlad putting beside the bed. Just as she thought she was going to make a mess, the can was pushed against her as warm hands gathered her hair back.

The retching lasted a few minutes, but everything from the smell to the taste made frustration and hopelessness bubble under her skin. It had been years since she had gotten sick like this and _of course_ Vlad would be the one to have to take care of her. If this smelt and felt disgusting then she didn't want to _think_ about how bad this must look. Not to mention, with his heightened sense of smell it would be worse to him…

"Stop worrying about me and don't be self conscious over this. You are human and this is part of being human. You are currently being sick because of my actions, and before you say anything it _was_ my actions whether I meant for this to happen or not. I'm not about to leave you to handle this alone, even if you had come down with a common cold, I would still be here."

The words were comforting and helped her ignore her embarrassment about the situation. _At least he's already seen me naked, so showering won't be a big thing…_ His snort was her answer as he pressed what proved to be a toothbrush into her hand.

Once done, she felt marginally better about the situation. Sure, she had just puked up the contents of her stomach, but Vlad said he wasn't leaving her alone so at least she wouldn't have to deal with her unease of being left alone while unable to defend herself.

Her thoughts were interrupted by warm hands tugging her back toward an equally warm body. She debated fighting for half a second, she could feel the sweat clinging to her and the blankets, but decided against it. He had already told her that sweat and blood didn't bother him and if the bile didn't either then he'd be fine.

"I'm glad you have come to accept that I won't be scared off with mere sweat or vomit. Now lay back down before you make yourself sick again. If you'd like I can put on a movie now that you seem to be minimally more awake. I have to get some work done, but it is simple paperwork that I can do from the bed."

While the thought of listening to a movie was odd, she nodded in agreement. "I'd appreciate it and thanks for staying close despite the bile hazard." The unsaid, _I'd probably run head first into a wall if you didn't, _made a spark of humor flare in her chest but she didn't say it out loud. He could read minds so there was no doubt that he had heard it.

A scoff brushed past her ear as he settled her against his chest, "You'll find I have been covered in much worse over the centuries than bile. Even if you do happen to be sick on me, I will simply change shirts or take a shower. It isn't the end of the world, just a minor inconvenience."

She hummed, while that was reassuring she still hoped to avoid puking on him. He was being sweet, staying here despite his work and other pressing issues, she should at least try not to puke on him for his troubles.

As she heard the sound of a Disney movie beginning, she grinned in the vague direction of Vlad's voice. "I thought you didn't care for Disney movies?"

Warm hands stroked through her hair, fingers gently working out the knots as he answered. "I don't have anything against them in particular, they are better than some of the drivel I've seen the cinemas advertising lately. Besides, you enjoy them and that's all that matters."

Warmth curled in her chest at his words; she always enjoyed it when he decided to act sweet. Although she wished the circumstances that had prompted it were different, she would take the opportunity to soak it in.

As she curled up against his chest, feeling as he balanced the paperwork on his leg to read it, she listened to the movie and his occasional grunt of irritation with whatever he was reading. Maybe this recovery wouldn't be so bad…

It was a week later and another surgery down that they lay together in bed, another movie playing in the background. It was a good thing Disney made so many of them, she would've been bored out of her skull otherwise.

Vlad had rarely left her side since they had gotten home. When it came time for the second surgery to check their progress on removing the shards, he had held her hand just like before until she slipped into unconsciousness. Thankfully the doctor said it was looking good and after this week and they checked one last time, Vlad could pour his blood over it.

She couldn't wait, while he had done his best to make this more bearable, staying still for this long wasn't in her nature. Not to mention they were going on two weeks of abstinence now and she didn't know about Vlad, but she was ready to pounce on him...If she could find out what direction he was in first.

As her sexual frustration climbed day by day, she considered when would be the best time to try something. If Vlad said no, then they'd wait until she was healed even if the thought of another week without him was frustrating. But if he said yes… well, she definitely wouldn't be bored anymore.

The worst of the after effects from the second surgery had passed, leaving Leila burning with energy and only one person she wanted to use it with. She had almost started something in the shower while Vlad had helped her clean up, but had decided against it. It would have been embarrassing if she had slipped on the wet tiles during a heated interlude.

Maybe once Vlad got back from dropping off his most recent stack of paperwork she could try to see if he was in the mood… It wasn't that difficult, although her lack of sight was going to make this interesting. A few moments later, he walked through the door and pulled her attention to him as the bed sagged with his weight.

They exchanged idle chit chat as Vlad resumed his usual position with her curled against his chest and paperwork against his leg. At least now she could sit up to lean against him. It had been irritating, not being able to move without nausea and she was glad it was over with.

*Smut Here Down*

As the movie played in the background, she took her chance. Sliding her hand down from his chest where it had rested, she grazed her finger tips across his chest. The muscles tensed under her hand as she traced further downward.

Once she hovered over the junction of his thighs, she waited for the verdict. It only took a second for her to receive an answer. She felt as he placed the paperwork on the nightstand and stopped the movie.

His hand wrapped into her hair and dragged her up for a kiss that made her toes curl. He didn't ask if she was sure, he could read her mind so he knew that she was. Instead he tugged her shirt up over her head.

Taking that as a go ahead, she found her way back down to his groin, the palpable heat rolling off of him making the desire in her blood climb. Buttons, she learned, were considerably harder when you couldn't see them but after a moment of fumbling she managed to get them undone.

He had taken the opportunity to remove his shirt and now she could feel his chest pressed against her. His hands worked like lightning, divesting her of her pants and leaving both of them bare.

Everything seemed more intense without her eyesight. She could feel every graze of the familiar scarred hands on her body as he explored to his heart's content. After a moment, he guided her up on her knees, his hips resting between them and the pulsing and thickening length in her other hand standing tall below her.

Usually it took him longer to go from soft to full mast, but considering how bottled up both of them had been over the past few weeks, it wasn't truly surprising. Not wasting another minute, she shifted forward and slid down his length. The feeling of him stretching all of her walls out just to the brink of being painfully full shot a shuddering moan from her.

His answering moan had her rocking down into his groin, stars burst over her vision as he rubbed against that bundle of nerves inside of her. His hands came to rest on her hips as he picked up her pace just slightly while adding a twist of his hips that sent spikes of arousal through her. Dimly she was aware that she was moaning with every upward thrust he gave, but as her arousal climbed higher she couldn't bring herself to care.

Besides, Vlad was being just as loud with his moans and the sound of them sent a heady pride through her. She loved being able to make him come undone, although it sucked that she couldn't see his face. Later, she promised herself. They would have to do this again later, when she could see again.

Feeling the sharp edge that came right before her climax, she clamped her fingers to his shoulders underneath her and rode him hard. A surprised hiss came from him as she tightened and twisted over him, the pressure around his length increasing until her spasming channel and scream of release dragged him along with her.

She flopped down against his chest as she regained her breath, not bothering to remove him from inside of her as the scent of _them_ hit her nose. While the smell of her sweat wasn't exactly pleasant, she could just catch the cinnamon and what she now knew was her own vanilla scent. She could see why Vlad liked the smell, as he had told her before in similar positions.

His hands came up to move the hair that had fallen into her face that she hadn't even noticed, "That was an experience worth repeating." A chuckle pushed from her lungs as she nodded against his chest.

"Definitely, I'm game for doing that again many times in varying positions." His arms squeezed around her, dragging her off of him when she made no move to pull him out. The sticky mess between them and on her thighs didn't bother her. It wasn't worth getting up for a shower right this instant, but she had a few ideas for what they could do when they _do_ decide to get that shower.

Vlad's rumbling laugh against her ear pulled her attention back to the present and out of the gutter. "You are insatiable today, not that I'm complaining. I was just having similar thoughts myself."

"Yeah, well what can I say? The only reason I didn't try this sooner, specifically in the shower, was because I was worried about slipping. I'm sure we can think of something though."

The warm body surrounding hers made a haze of sleep start to crawl around her conscious, "Oh I have many ideas for that already, but for now you should sleep. We have plenty of time to implement those later."

She didn't argue as she dozed off against his chest, the comforting scent of cinnamon and vanilla lulling her to sleep.

*SMUT END*

"Hold still so I can remove the bandage." Leila practically vibrated in place as warm hands began unraveling the bandage around her eyes. The weeks of waiting had finally passed and now it was finally time for Vlad to drop his blood into her eyes. The doctor had given her the all clear and she couldn't wait to see again.

She never knew how much she relied on her sight until she hadn't had it. She could finally do gymnastics again! And she could wander around wherever she wanted without worrying about stairs or walls, that was also a bonus.

As the cloth fell away, she heard Vlad bite his wrist again before tilting her head back. The feeling of liquid dripping into her eyes made her blink on habit until fingers carefully held the lid open. After a minute, he pulled back and wiped the drops of blood off her face.

At first nothing changed and dread began to coil in her stomach, would she be permanently blind? But slowly blurry shapes began to take form, each blink brought them further into focus until she could see the concerned face of Vlad staring at her.

She grinned as her eyes immediately focused on the green tinged coppery ones, "It worked." He probably already knew that but she was just happy to say it out loud. He nodded, not commenting on her thoughts as he pulled her into a kiss.

Her fingers curled into his hair as she clung to him. He had taken wonderful care of her in the last few weeks, thankfully she had managed to avoid getting sick on him, and now she had a great idea for how to thank him.

"There's no need-" She cut him off with a kiss and an impish grin.

"You _really _don't want to finish that sentence until you hear what I was thinking." As the explicit images flashed through her mind, his mouth clicked shut as green overtook his eyes.

"Well it would be considered rude for me to not allow you to show your gratitude..." A laugh burst from her as he swept her legs out and carried her to his bedroom.

"I thought you'd see it my way."


	38. Announcement

Hey guys! I had a request come in that I'm not 100% certain if I should write so I'm sending by you. The anonymous requester wants this, "You know how the riots are getting bad right now? What about a oneshot where Kira's sister Tina lives in an area where things are getting bad and she calls Kira freaking out? Maybe Kira and Mencheres bring Tina to live with them or something similar?" I like the idea of it but with how tense things are right now I'm not sure how well the topic would be received so what are your guy's thoughts?


	39. Forgotten

Hey guys, this is another one that came to me and demanded to be written. I promise I'll get to writing Dark Pharaoh's wedding soon. Anyway, read and review.

Kira watched as Mencheres paced restlessly from one end of their room to the other. He'd been doing this ever since he'd come back from going to visit Ian, although the look on his face when he'd informed her of where he'd been going made her hesitate to believe that was all there was to his sudden departure. She'd decided to let him get some of his obvious worry out in pacing before trying to pry what was wrong out of him. Now it was time to see what was eating him.

Stepping up beside him, she gripped his arm and tugged in an attempt to pull his focus to her. "What's going on Mencheres? This isn't like you." Usually he was as cool as an iceberg, seeing the love of her life so obviously wound was both worrying and unnerving.

He flicked a glance her way before tugging out of her grip, a first for him, as he continued his pacing. "One of the vampires I sired, Ian the one I visited just days ago, has apparently gotten married."

Kira blinked in surprise, his words not helping her understand in the slightest. "And that's…bad?" Usually weddings were a cause for celebration, after all. Theirs had certainly been a party, what with it lasting days before it finally calmed again. Today was their anniversary, something Kira had been looking forward to for months. She'd planned everything out, hot bath waiting for them with Mencheres favorite flowers in the water, she'd even gotten a sexy pair of lingerie for the occasion.

In her previous relationship anniversaries were to be dreaded, Pete turning what should have been a happy occasion into either a beating or a rape depending on how he felt that day. After marrying Mencheres she'd been overflowing with excitement, wanting to do it right this time. He doted on her any time he saw the opportunity, so she had figured that enjoying their anniversary shouldn't be difficult. Seeing his tense strides, she tried to save the evening.

If his erratic behavior was anything to go by, he needed to relax more than ever and what better way than with what she'd had planned? Resolving to drag him into the bath once she figured out why one of his children, for lack of a better term, getting married was a bad thing.

He shot her a disgruntled look, "You don't know Ian. He loathes all forms of commitment and marriage is something he scorns especially. He would never willingly get married."

She was starting to see the picture, but that didn't explain his current worry. Well, she didn't have to understand it to help him calm down… Moving to once again grab his arm, she cajoled. "You're obviously very upset about this and while I still don't understand why him getting married is so impossible, I know of a way to help you calm down before you wear a hole in the carpet."

Her voice had come out as soothing as she could make it, but before her fingers could close around his arm, he pulled away again. His mouth twisted down into a hard scowl that immediately sent wariness through her. His voice when he spoke was rigid, the unfamiliar tone rubbing her the wrong way as he berated her.

"Now is _not_ the time for such things. Surely, you are aware of that? I would not be concerned if the matter was not worrisome, I would appreciate you not making light of this or my valid concerns." She'd never heard his voice anything but pleasant while directed at her before, whether they were in bed or just chatting, and the sudden icy cold snap to his words sent shards of pain through her.

Trying once again to grab him, she tensed. "That's _not_ what I'm doing, I'm trying to-." Mencheres lurched out of her grip once again, only this time he turned to face her fully. His mouth set in a harsh frown.

"Would you cease in your attempts to still me? I do not wish to sit down right now, nor do I wish to engage in more intimate activities. As my wife I would expect you to respect those boundaries and leave me be."

The words hurt more than she'd ever admit, but she forced a smile all the same. Something was definitely wrong here and she couldn't help until she knew what it was. Holding her hands up in the universal sign of surrender, she soothed. "As I was saying before, I'm not trying to start anything sexual. I'm trying to understand why you're worried when for all intents and purposes the news you received should be a _good_ thing."

His face darkened, the look sending a curl of unease through her. She swiped it away without a thought, this was Mencheres. He'd never do or say anything to hurt her. That assurance fell flat with his next statement.

"I already explained why this news is in fact _not_ a good thing, you are simply choosing not to listen. It matters none, I've made my decision. I will be flying to Ian to see for myself if he has done this of his own free will."

Choosing to ignore the accusation that stung deeply, she stepped in front of Mencheres and addressed the second half of his statement. "You're leaving _tonight_?" While Kira wasn't usually a woman to be hurt by her lover having something they needed to do, she understood necessity canceling plans better than most with raising Tina, the thought of spending their first anniversary together alone, with Mencheres states away was enough to depress her.

Trying to convince him to at least wait until tomorrow for the trip, she pushed on. "Surely it can wait until tomorrow-." Mencheres cut her off yet again, frustration and aggravation heavy in his tone as he snaps.

"No it can_not_ wait until tomorrow. I thought you of all people would understand needing to check up on someone you see as your child, but evidently I overestimated your empathy. Nothing you say will be convincing me to stay and we will be dropping this topic now." He turned away, not catching the flash of hurt on her face as he whipped out his phone and began making arrangements, her dismissal clear as he ignored her presence.

Thinking on the bath still waiting, most likely cold by now, and the special underwear tucked underneath her current clothes that wouldn't be used, it felt like a slap in the face as she watched Mencheres pointedly make the arrangement despite her objections. Did he…not remember their anniversary? He had seemed just as excited for it as she'd been when they'd discussed it a week ago. Maybe she'd misread him?

Whether he remembered or not changed nothing, he had already made it clear that he would be leaving on that plane. Her hurt feelings or opinion had no place in his decision, so there was no point in trying to talk more. Quietly, she retreated to the bathroom to drain the tub and dismantle her carefully planned surprise.

_He's just worried about Ian, you'd be the same if it were Tina. _She repeated it in her head over and over as she cleaned the bathroom back to its previous state. The reassurance didn't help in the slightest. Before she could go back to Mencheres to wish him good bye, if nothing else she wanted to get _one_ kiss on their anniversary before he left, she heard the front door shut.

Disbelief strafed her as she bolted down the three stories to watch as Mencheres drove away. He hadn't even waited to say goodbye to her… They'd had a long standing tradition that if they were to be separated, even for a day, they'd always kiss goodbye. While she knew it wasn't a major thing to most people, she remembered the misery of Pete and her marriage. That pain was what had led her to starting their tradition. Seeing Mencheres act so coldly, especially on their anniversary, stung. Briefly she felt tears prick her eyes before briskly brushing them away. She would _not_ cry.

Resolutely, she turned to go back to their room only for Gorgon's worried face to stop her. He blinked in shock at the pink in her eyes, before understanding dawned. He may not have heard all of their argument but he had gotten enough to know she was hurting. That, combined with his sire's abrupt departure, had wounded her deeper than she'd felt in years.

Not saying a word, he stepped to the side to let her pass. She wouldn't want him to see her like this, that much he was certain of. She gave a grateful nod before all but sprinting back to their room.

Once there, she whipped her shirt and pants off, the lacy underwear seeming to mock her as she removed it before putting more comfortable clothes on. She'd dressed up for the anniversary plans that she now knew weren't happening. Now that it was most definitely called off, she would go find the nearest pint of chocolate icecream and binge on movies while wearing her pajamas.

Was it pathetic? Probably, but no one was here to see her lick her wounds so it didn't matter. She'd started the day overflowing with excitement only for her emotions to take a hard nose dive into disappointment and hurt. Mencheres was mad at her, had forgotten about their anniversary and had left her without saying goodbye. She hadn't snapped or tried to stop him, so she'd say she had earned that icecream, thank you very much. Maybe later she'd call Leila for some company…

Mencheres watched Ian and Veritas leave, the newly weds had stayed through admirable prodding from Bones and Charles before announcing their intent to leave. Relief poured through him that there was truly nothing wrong with one of his favorite children, but as the relief faded remorse took its place.

He had been very rude to his adored before his departure, merely ten minutes after he had left he'd ached to go back to their home and apologize but by then he'd been on the plane and unable to do so. Briefly he'd considered calling, but apologies should be done in person when possible.

He had been consumed with worry but that was no excuse for his words to his beloved. She hadn't been trying to antagonize him; now that he was calm he could see that. Leaving without their customary goodbyes had been childish, something he hadn't been accused of in centuries. The way it effected him, their not saying goodbye to one another, had left him feeling uneasy the entire flight.

She had only been worried and his display had most likely made that worse. Resolve hardening, he moved to give his goodbyes to Cat and Bones. Once he was home he would apologize for his words and his actions, depending on if Kira accepted his apology he may repent with some tender love making. That was always a decent apology for hurt feelings. While his nerves drew taut over the coming apology, he forced them down.

Kira was a reasonable woman, unlike his former wife, while she wouldn't be happy with his display she wouldn't hold it against him either once he explained himself and apologized genuinely. Turning to the exit, eager to get home to soothe the pain he doubtlessly caused, his phone ringing cut him off.

Answering, he barely got a customary greeting out before Leila's irate voice came over the line, her words freezing him in place as dread dawned on him.

"Why the fuck did I get a call from my best friend crying her eyes out about her husband leaving her alone on their first anniversary? And snapping at her? What the hell crawled up your ass and died Mencheres?!"

"Darling, you shouldn't.-" Vlad's voice was cut off as Leila snarled.

"No, the only person I consider a friend outside of you is hurting and alone on her anniversary after being over the moon excited about it just this morning. I will not calm down and he better have a damn good reason for snapping."

Dimly he heard Vlad continue to try to calm his wife, but Mencheres attention was solely focused on his inner turmoil. Pulling the phone away from his ear, he hesitated briefly before checking the date. Yes, it appeared he had indeed forgotten their anniversary…

His previous remorse became an all consuming guilt as he thought back over his hurtful words from before. When he had received the news of Ian's matrimony he had allowed his worry to take over him to the point he'd even forgotten the anniversary both he and Kira had been looking forward to for weeks.

His mouth felt bone dry as he swallowed, voice hesitant as he questioned Leila. "She called you in tears?" It took much to reduce his Dark Lady to such a state, the thought that it had been his words and actions to do so soured his stomach and sent burning pain through his heart. He had to fix this, post haste.

Leila answer did not ease any of his guilt, increasing it instead as he all but flew back to the airport. "Yeah, she tried to wave it off as nothing but I know what it sounds like when someone's restraining themselves from crying." Before Leila could start on another tirade that he more than deserved, Vlad wrestled the phone from her.

"Apologies, my wife is extremely protective of Kira at the moment. I will be having words with her in just a moment." Leila's voice echoed in the background, the obvious challenge in them a precursor to one of their fights.

"Go ahead, have _words_ with me. No one else is going to rip him a new one because they're too scared of him and Kira's too nice. So-." The muffled grunts as her words cut off alerted him to Vlad covering her mouth. Inwardly, Mencheres winced. They had been doing so well recently with _not_ having any fights too…His honorary son's actions would ensure another one as soon as he let Leila go.

Saying goodbye to Vlad, Mencheres eyed the darkening sky as he boarded his plane. He wouldn't make it in time to apologize or make things right before their anniversary was completely over, the thought of how their first year mark had turned into such a disaster sending another wave of remorse through him.

He wasn't sure what all he would do to make up for this, but he knew he had to do something. His words alone were unacceptable, although for now they would have to do. Later, he could plan an extravagant evening with just the two of them but for now his main focus needed to be on soothing the hurt he'd caused.

As he settled into his chair, impatiently tapping the armrest as the plane seemed to take triple as long to be ready to take off as usual, he thought on his previous behavior and the effect it had on Kira. When he'd been married to Patra it had always been _him_ on the other end of this situation, victim to a lover who spoke hurtful words before leaving without a backwards glance or apology. He didn't like the thought that she was feeling the same loneliness that he had for centuries.

He should never have let this happen, he was her husband and as such they were supposed to support one another, not tear each other down. His mood steadily darkened as he watched the minutes pass, a spear of pain shoving through him as the clock struck midnight, signaling the end of what had been planned to be a very special day. What a mess he'd made…

Entering his home, he nodded to Gorgon as he deftly moved toward the stairs. The hours on the plane had been the longest he'd ever felt but he was back now. He could fix the situation to the best of his ability and hopefully spend the rest of the day wrapped around Kira as a consolation prize for what they'd missed yesterday.

Seeing their bedroom door, he began speaking even before he reached it. "Beloved, there are no words to exonerate my previous actions or my hurtful statements. Just know that I meant not a word of it and I am deeply sorry for taking my worries out on you."

He waited a moment, his nerves climbing as silence met his declaration. She _was_ in their room right? Hesitating only briefly before pushing open the door, he peaked in while speaking lowly. "My Adored?"

The room was empty and the complete silence assured him she wasn't in the rest room either. Surely she was still on the premisses, she wouldn't leave without discussing it with him or at least telling him, would she? He hadn't given her the same courtesy…

Shaking his doubts off vigorously, he set out to find her. Gorgon silently pointed to the garden, not saying a word as his sire all but ran to his love's side. Gorgon had watched as Kira had barricaded herself into a guest room, not leaving until only hours ago and that had only been when prompted. He was glad he had managed to convince her to leave the room, now that his sire was back everything would be put to rights again.

Mencheres immediately spotted Kira upon entering their garden. Her Mastiff puppy, Justice, sat curled in her lap while three of the older males lay curled around her in various positions. The conversation she was having with them made a smile tug on one end of his mouth.

"No, stop giving the puppy eyes. You don't get chocolate, I get chocolate. You get dog treats, which I know is a bad deal for you but it's better for your health. I'm dead, I don't have to worry about my health. You do, so be good and stop staring at my ice cream."

He could now see the three empty pints of ice cream next to her, Justice staring longingly at them to no avail as Kira pushed them further away. Stepping forward, he watched as four canine heads swiveled to greet him with rapidly wagging tails. Despite their obvious happiness, none of them moved to leave Kira, the sight warming him. His dogs had sensed his wife's pain and had refused to leave her side, the loyalty of Mastiffs was one of the traits he prized the most in them and this was no exception.

Kira followed their gaze before stiffening, the uncertainty on her face as she eyed him demolished his previous warmth. Lowering himself to sit next to her, he stroked Justice's head as he began his apology.

"My previous words were unnecessary and hurtful, I apologize that they left my lips at all. I also believe you have the right to know I did forget our anniversary, my worry over Ian overtook everything else. That is no excuse, but-."

He stopped as Kira grabbed his hand, squeezing it gently as a smile curled her lips. "I know you didn't mean it. I understand what it's like to worry about someone while not being able to do anything about it. It's frustrating and makes you snappy. While I understand where you were coming from, can we please not do that again? I much prefer talking problems out with you to fighting."

Nodding, he raised her hand to his forehead in the formal expression of gratitude he was raised with before dropping a kiss on her palm. "Of course, I will be sure to bring any future concerns to you calmly. I also prefer discussing our problems this way to fighting. I despise knowing I hurt you with my careless words. Now that we have established that I did not mean them," he paused as he stood up.

Opening his arms, he continued, "May I greet you as I should have yesterday?" Kira smiled, depositing the puppy in her lap onto one of the adult Mastiff's back to walk into the offered hug. She wouldn't admit it, but she'd needed this. Their fight had unsettled her, but being back in his arms made everything alright again.

Remembering his affront at her supposedly trying to seduce him when he'd been upset, she addressed it now that they were both calm. "For the record, I really wasn't trying to drag you to bed yesterday. I had a surprise for you but it wasn't sexual, not unless you wanted it to be anyway."

Pulling back, Mencheres arched a brow at her. "Oh? And what was this surprise? If you wish to continue it I will offer my complete cooperation."

His mouth trailed up her neck, the touch sending warmth south as his hands tucked into her waistband. "I had a bath drawn with flowers ready and some fancy underwear on if things turned heated. The flowers wilted so I threw them out but the bath and the underwear are still doable."

He scooped her legs out from under her, using his power to levitate the ice cream bins out of reach of the hopeful puppy, and left back toward their room. "While I mourn the loss of the flowers, I can't wait to experience the rest of the surprise."

He paused, locking eyes with Kira before he finished his sentence. "And Kira? Happy late anniversary."

Kira curled into his throat, happy with the turn the evening had taken as she kissed his chest. "Happy late anniversary, Mencheres."

And we're done! I finally found an idea for angst that works for these two. Took me forever and I doubt I'll ever do another one. That's okay though, Vlad and Leila fill all five of the couple's angst quotas on their own.


	40. Remember Father's Day

Sorry about that guys, fanfiction had a stroke with the document. Here you go and if the mention of child loss is a trigger you may want to skip this chapter.

Leila watched as Vlad went about getting ready for his work, but something was off. Something had been off with him for the past few days and she'd yet to ask about it. Today the off-ness seemed even more pronounced, Vlad's emotions feeling pained against her mind whenever he allowed his mental barrier to slide for her to feel him.

For the life of her Leila couldn't guess what was causing it, so with a steely determination, she rose to confront her husband. Wrapping her arms around him from behind, she rested her chin on his shoulder and leaned her weight against him.

Vlad stopped in the process of getting dressed to clasp her hands that rested on his chest. Turning to look at her, he quirked an eyebrow. "This is going to make walking interesting."

Her mouth twitched at his bland statement before she refocused on why she'd gotten up. "You've been feeling off lately, is everything alright?"

He immediately stiffened as any warmth he'd felt from her surprise embrace fled. His reaction told her that something was indeed wrong more than any words he could use. Internally she crossed her fingers that this wasn't going to somehow turn into a fight. They'd been doing _so well_ lately and she'd hate to break their streak.

Thankfully, after a moment of consideration, Vlad dropped his shield and turned to pull her into a hug. She felt his sigh against her hair as he began to explain. "I shouldn't be surprised that you noticed, you know me entirely too well."

He paused, but Leila didn't move to nudge him onward. He hadn't told her to butt out which meant he was going to explain further. She just had to wait for him to find the words. Sure enough, he continued while his hands ran absentmindedly over her back.

"I'm uncertain if you are aware but today is Father's Day." He stopped again, waiting for her nod to continue. She had forgotten that, but how his current pain could tie into that eluded her. Feeling her nod, he picked up where he left off. "Usually I don't reminisce on the past as it does nothing for the present but due to Mircea, the memories of when I was a father are closer to the surface than I would prefer."

It hit her like a semi, Vlad _was_ a father so of course Father's Day would be painful. Especially since his son had died before him, so it would only serve as a reminder of what he'd lost. Tightening her arms around him in an attempt to offer comfort, she nodded against his throat. "That makes sense, thanks to how things are with my Dad I didn't even think about the date. But Vlad, just because your son isn't here anymore doesn't mean you're not a father."

He stiffened, but to his credit he didn't pull away. "Oh? I believe the prerequisite for being a father is in fact having a son, and as you well know mine has been gone for well over half a millennium." His tone was stiff, but he hadn't told her shut up so she took it as a positive sign.

Leila chose her words carefully, knowing that this was most likely the single most painful topic for Vlad they could discuss. "That's the textbook definition, but that's not entirely true and you know it. Parents who lose their babies in child birth, or to other causes for that matter, aren't any less of a parent. That same principle means that you're still a father, even if you haven't actively been in the role for hundreds of years. Your son gave you that title and you'll always have it, no matter what, because even though he isn't here anymore he did exist. And when he was, you were his Dad and nothing will ever change that."

She could feel as her words sank in, past pain strafing through Vlad as he stayed completely still in her arms. Briefly she wondered if he would be mad at her, this wasn't exactly her place after all. He might not have wanted to think about this topic at all, which was his right. As the minutes stretched with his pain dragging against her subconscious, she went to apologize only for him to cut her off.

"You are right, my son was- is still my son and nothing will ever change that. It would be a dishonor to him for me to renounce that title, not after he spent the entirety of his life loving me as a father. I refuse to cheapen that by forgetting. Despite how painful remembering is."

The pain she felt through the bond took her breath away with its intensity, Marty had always told her that _nothing_ hurt like losing a child and as she felt Vlad's pain she knew that to be true. Even after five centuries it still ripped through him as if it were fresh. Curling herself further around him, she offered what comfort she could as the feelings ripped through him.

After a few minutes Vlad relaxed slightly, some of the feelings dulling down to a dull roar as he turned to face her. "Thank you, Leila. My son deserved to be remembered. If you'd like to hear about him, I will tell you."

Leila didn't have to think for long, nodding as she tugged him back to bed. This wasn't a conversation to have without being as comfortable as possible. Once they were settled with Leila practically melded into Vlad's side, he began. "My son was the only one whose touch I didn't abhor even years after my release and he picked up on that fairly quickly. He made it his mission in life to offer the affection I wouldn't accept from his mother or anyone else. His continued insistence to embrace me at every given opportunity helped me become acclimated to touch again."

He paused as the phantom feeling of small arms wrapping around his middle to welcome him home bled through to the present. Forcing himself to focus, he continued. "He followed me everywhere that he could, I distinctly remember being both flattered that he saw me so highly and frustrated as it made doing my daily tasks considerably more difficult. I never knew how much I would miss being followed, but as he grew he began to pick up my mannerisms until his attitude and looks mirrored mine."

The first few years after his passing looking into a mirror had been excruciating, the memories attacking relentlessly until he had learned to cope. "Along with being a near exact replica of me physically, his name was similar to mine. As many families do, Clara and I named him after his father. At the time it was a source of pride but later it would cause me much suffering."

Leila leaned against him, squeezing their interlocked fingers as he gave her a hard smile. "He grew into a fine man. I was proud of him then and I still remain proud to call him my son." While there was many other things he could tell her, he stopped at that. He had discussed Vladimir more in the past ten minutes than he had since his passing, and he found himself exhausted already. They still had time, he could open up more as the years past. For now, this was enough.

Leila moved to straddle his lap, knowing how painful that had been for him she felt her own pride. Her husband was becoming more open, even when it hurt to be, and she would always be grateful when he shared details like this with her. Once she was seated, his hands coming up to rest on her hips, she bent to kiss him with all of her love and gratitude that he couldn't feel.

"Thank you for telling me. I may not have known your son, but he was- is a part of you. So I'll mourn him with you just like I'll mourn Clara despite my not knowing her. They were both integral parts of your history, making you into the man I love and so I refuse to forget them. Just as I love you, the man who overcame far and above what any one person should have to, I also love the father that they made you and the ruthless warlord you had to be back then to survive. No matter who or what you are, I'll always love you. Nothings going to change that either."

Vlad's hands cupped her face, his lips capturing hers in a tender kiss as rich waves of his emotion rolled over her. When he pulled back he rested their foreheads together, his eyes mirroring the emotions she could plainly feel. "As I love you, and all the versions of you that you've been in the past. You are and will forever be my wife."

Leila sighed as the aching pain lessened to an extent. Maybe talking about his son had helped him a bit, while she wouldn't push for more, she was glad that it had helped even a little. If he chose to tell her more in the future then she'd be here to listen but for now she'd focus on offering support to Vlad through the difficult days.

Rising from the bed, she shot him a lopsided smile as she tugged on his arm. "Come on, play hooky from work today and let's go into town. I doubt that you got anything for Mencheres, right?"

Vlad blinked, momentarily surprised by her statement before nodding in agreement. "No, I didn't but now that you mention it…" Standing, he gripped her hand before bringing it to his lips. Taking the chance during her surprise at his action, he pulled her against his chest with a smirk.

"That is an excellent idea, after all I'm not the only father in our lives. I'm sure the town has something he would enjoy." So saying, he released Leila to finish getting ready for the day. His day just became more busy, but he couldn't bring himself to mind and as he walked arm in arm with Leila through the shops, he thought on their previous discussion about Vladimir.

He had never talked about his son to anyone, even Mencheres, but he found himself feeling…lighter. While the pain was still there, as it always would be, it almost felt more manageable. Looking over to Leila as she considered a potential gift for his sire, he smiled to himself. It was a shame that Leila had never had the opportunity to have children, while it could be exhausting at the best of times he knew without a shadow of a doubt that she would excel in the position of mother.

She loved with her whole heart and any child born to her would have never had to feel the loneliness both Vlad and Leila's childhoods had known, that much he was certain of. As he walked down the streets with his wife running the different possibilities by him, he found that he didn't mind the thought of a child as much as he would have just yesterday.

While he was nowhere near ready to take on another child, the thought of raising one with Leila wasn't as daunting or painful as it could have been.


	41. Possible AU Ideas

Hey everyone, I've got lots planned and not nearly enough time to do it in. I have college kicking up and two jobs to compete with so my uploads may take a bit longer. But I was rereading Twice Tempted and realized there were quite a few parts that I REALLY didn't like. Vlad's callous and sometimes beyond okay overbearing./possessiveness not being addressed was a big one. I'm debating doing smaller au chapters for some of the events in his books. If any of you have ideas or had parts of the books you thought could have been handled better feel free to drop me a message or a review. I'm already working on one for Leila in book 2 as well as Vlad. Thanks!


	42. Oooo Somebody's In Trouble!

Leila glowered at Vlad, dumbstruck and furious at his statement. "You promised that you'd heal them!" The 'them' she was referring to were the kids who had been imprisoned on the boat with her. She could only imagine the horrors they'd already lived through despite their young age, the youngest amongst them being around Gretchen's age.

It twisted her gut to think on how much the kid's minds would be scarred from this, all because some vampires had decided they would make great snacks. Their parents must be out of their mind with worry and that's not even getting into the therapy they'd need after they made it safely home.

She'd only thought to bargain for Maximus's life during their previous exchange because she'd never thought Vlad would stupe so low as to refuse to heal dying children, especially children who'd been in such a similar situation that he himself had been forced to endure for the better part of his young life.

Her stomach lurched at the resolute gaze he leveled on her, he would do nothing other than drop them off at the nearest hospital if she refused to go with him. She glanced to the side to their cowering audience, her eyes landing on the terrified blue of a little girl who couldn't be older than six. She had clamped to Leila earlier, not wanting to leave her side in fear of the monsters.

Leila had immediately noticed that her breathing was off, potential punctured lunge or something similar. There were other injuries like that throughout the kids, all potentially deadly in their own right if they weren't given vampire blood to save them.

Forcing her eyes away from the tears now flowing from the little girl, she shot an incredulous glance to the Egyptian standing not far from them. _You're allowing this!?_

Disgust rolled through her when he merely shrugged, his eyes staying resolutely on the water as to not catch a glimpse of the children who would possibly die if he went along with this. _Of course you won't look at them, you wouldn't want to remember their faces if they were to die while you did nothing._

He visibly stiffened, but Vlad stepped between them with a scowl. "There's no need to bring him into this-."

A fire unlike anything she'd ever felt before blazed to life as she cut him off with a tone that was sharp as a blade and cold as ice."No, he is already in this and I _will_ hold him accountable just as I'm going to hold _you_ accountable. You want me to go back with you so much that you're willing to sacrifice the lives of children who have been through more than enough? Fine, but since we're negotiating with my freedom then I'm damn well adding stipulations to this clusterfuck."

Vlad's eyes had narrowed at the mention of his willingness to turn a blind eye to, but he gave a kind smile that on anyone else would look charming. It just pissed her off.

Moving his hand in the 'go on' gesture, he crossed his arms and waited.

"You heal them, see them home, find their parents, and pay for the therapy they're desperately going to need after this. I'll go with you only for that."

His eyes slowly inched upward with every word until they were in his hairline. Once finished, she copied his posture before tilting her head in challenge. Those were the terms and if he didn't accept then she'd take her chances and get the kids home herself.

His eyed narrowed at her thought, but instead of addressing it he nodded in agreement. "I would have done that anyway."

A biting scoff snapped from her lungs before she could stop it, "Was that before or after leaving them at the hospital?" _To potentially die_, was left unsaid but he heard it loud and clear.

Mouth twisting into a scowl, he opened his mouth to dispute it but she cut him off again, the previous rage still on a low boil in the back of her mind. "No, don't you dare try to sugar coat what you're doing. You are willing to let _child rape victims_ die, or at least have long lasting injuries, because I'm not doing what you want me to. I didn't think to bargain for them because I assumed you had just enough of a moral compass to not let them be collateral, especially with your own history with shit like this. Apparently I thought too highly of you, I _won't_ make that mistake again."

His eyes blazed emerald as fire burst from his arms, "You will not bring that up again-."

Anger and hurt that he would go so far made her reckless, stepping right up to him while ignoring the flames that climbed higher on him, she growled right back. "Or what? You'll kill me? Go ahead, I'm not going to sit back and nod quietly while you do something that is _wrong_. I believed that you were a better man than this, but your actions are proving me wrong. So now I'll treat you like the scum of the earth that you've decided to act like, and assume that nothing is beyond what you're willing to do to get your way."

She could see the children cowering from the corner of her eye, the oldest trying to shield them from Vlad's wrath as he stewed in his rage. She knew it was wrong of her to bring up his past like this, especially in front of strangers, but what he was doing was horrific and she wouldn't stand by and let him do it without having a piece of her mind.

Instead of striking out, as he half looked ready to do, he let his mouth curl into a terrifying smile. "I don't need to kill you, you agreed to come with me and as you said, that is what I want. Killing you would make no sense now."

He breezed past her toward the cluster of children, all of which cowered back from him. Leila watched him hesitate briefly a few yards away, before the moment passed and he bit his wrist and clapped it to the eldest's mouth.

She struggled in the moment it took him to remove his hand, her body shaking like a leaf as she inched back from him with the other children hidden behind her. Vlad let out an exasperated growl, "I'm healing you, not harming you. Now calm down and stop shaking."

_Real smooth Vlad, you should be a therapist_. He shot her an icy glare over his shoulder before moving on to the next child. When the only one who was left was the little girl she'd locked eyes with before, he reached for her only to be surprised when she lunged away.

In a mad scramble she dashed for Leila, the action taking her by surprise as she was nearly knocked off her feet by the collision of the girl into her hip. Little arms wrapped around her waist, puffs of air coming too fast against her stomach as the smaller form shook from sobs.

When Leila could make out what she was saying, it broke her heart. "Don't let him hurt me. Please, I just want to go home. I don't want him to touch me like they did."

Who _they_ were didn't need to be said, a look of discomfort briefly flashed across Vlad's face before he settled it back into the stony mask. _Good, you should be uncomfortable, prick._

He shot her another scathing glance which she returned with a scowl, barely resisting the urge to flip him off, before turning her attention down to the sobbing bundle wrapped around her legs. Crouching as much as she was able, ignoring the pangs of her injuries, she stroked her fingers through the girl's hair. "I know he's scary and you have no reason to trust him but can you trust me? You need to heal and his blood is the only thing that will work."

His or Mencheres, but she doubted that the kid would want to be near _him_ either. She saw the Egyptian vampire stiffen out of the corner of her eye but refused to react. They _should_ feel guilty, just because they were old and powerful didn't mean they could do whatever they wanted with the innocent lives that got caught in the middle of vampire bullshit.

The girl looked up at her, blue eyes eerily similar to Leila's own bore in as if looking for something. Apparently they found it because she nodded in the next second. Turning to face Vlad, she gripped Leila's hand tighter as she inched forward, dragging Leila with her to her dismay.

Feeling the girl's nerves about being around Vlad, she internally sighed but let her keep the hold on her hand. If it made her feel better…

Vlad bit his wrist again, not saying a word as he offered it to the girl. She took one last glance at Leila before shakily gripping the outstretched hand and taking the offered blood. Immediately after she dropped the touch as if he were diseased, moving to huddle underneath Leila's legs for protection as Vlad took a step back.

For just a moment when their eyes met, Leila saw a flash of remorse in his gaze before he buried it under his typical arrogance.

"Now that part of your conditions have been met, let's be on our way."

Leila watched as the helicopter began to land, the long flight while being forced to hold Vlad's hand doing nothing good to her emotions.

Now she could finally get some gloves and put some much needed distance between them.

Once they exited she whipped her hand out of Vlad's while putting a few feet of space between them. He scowled at the action but she didn't let it move her. "Don't get huffy with me, I'm still pissed with you over using children's lives to blackmail me into coming back. You may have gotten your way but I'm not about to forget that and play nice with you all of a sudden."

"Blackmail?" "Children's lives?!"

Turning to the sound of the two voices, Leila met the eyes of Kira and Cat, with Bones not too far behind her. Leila silently noted Mencheres stiffening out of the corner of her eye, so you didn't tell your wife about this fiasco then? Not surprising, from what Leila knew of Kira she would be pissed.

Just as Leila had figured, Kira rounded on Mencheres. "What is she talking about and _where _were you during this?"

The ancient pharaoh grimaced, shooting a sullen look at Leila. Before he could respond, Leila let a sharp smile cover her face before doing so for him.

"He was resolutely staring at the ocean's waves a few yards away while Vlad used a dozen child rape victim's lives to make me come back with him."

Cat's eyes swung to Vlad in the same minute Kira's lit up green. "Oh was he?" The pleasant tone reminded her briefly of Vlad's 'I'm going to kill you' smile for she refocused on the present.

"Yup, before you two get into it can I use the restroom? I was held captive for the better part of a day and the helicopter didn't make pit stops." And some blood would also be nice because she was running low on energy and was only staying on her feet by pure force of will alone.

Kira nodded, stepping forward after one last glare that spoke volumes to her husband. "Absolutely, I'll show you to the bathroom, afterward I should have something that will fit you and I can give you some of my blood."

Vlad immediately made a noise of disagreement. "That won't be necessary, she can have mine."

Leila whirled, momentarily pausing when the world span a bit too quickly for her liking, before rebutting him. "No, I won't. I'm already paying for your blood from saving the others, I'm not about to add anything to it."

Before he could say anything in return Leila spun back around and took Kira's offered arm. Neither of them spared a glance back as they entered the house. "The bathtub in the guestroom is awesome if you want to try it out. You must be sore-."

Those remaining watched the women disappear into the house before Cat's low whistle cut through the air. "Wow, you two really fucked up."

Vlad ground his teeth, stopping himself from snapping at his friend with sheer force of will. "Thank you ever so for pointing that out Reaper."

Mencheres sent a forlorn glance after his wife, the knowledge that a fight was in his near future souring his mood, before he turned to Vlad. "Let us get your preparations finished, it appears that we have more time now than we assumed."


	43. Wake Up Call

Heyo! I'm back with the long awaited second to Wedding Bells. This doesn't have their wedding in it because I had to get this done beforehand. Ideas are abound. Anyway enjoy!

The ringing phone dragged Kira out of her blissful sleep, Tina's ringtone blaring loudly against her sensitive ears. Mencheres shifted next to her, recognizing the sound and knowing that it meant nothing good at this time of night.

Snagging the phone, Kira felt her worry begin to climb. Had something happened? Tina had been over the moon ecstatic the last time they talked, she had been packing for her and Thomas's honeymoon…

For her sister to call on her honeymoon, something must be up. Answering the call, she shared a concerned glance with Mencheres. No use wondering about it when she can find out for herself.

"Kira?" The tears in her sister's voice made every instinct she had flare into protective overdrive. Lurching up from the bed, she was already halfway dressed by her next blink. She hated it when she was right.

"T? Are you alright?" She hated that question. Calling in tears from her honeymoon was FAR from alright, but she needed to know what was going on before she started digging Thomas's grave. Maybe it was a misunderstanding, or a fight?

She didn't believe her own thoughts and they were disproved in Tina's next sentence. "He left me, Kira! We were set to go but I heard back from the doctor and he got upset and-."

The mention of the doctor spiked Kira's previous worry into a fever pitch. Glancing over, she locked eyes with Mencheres. Her husband had already gotten dressed, his keys hanging from his hand as he gestured toward the garage. Relief that she had someone else during this clusterfuck, Kira dropped a kiss on his cheek in gratitude. Later, she'd show him how grateful she was but for now they had a sister to go check on.

"Slow down, T! Doctor? Did the illness make a comeback?" She hadn't thought it could do that with Mencheres blood, but she'd seen stranger things. Besides if it had then Mencheres could heal her again, it wasn't that big of a thing.

A shaky inhale, then Tina continued in a mildly more stable voice. "Nothing is wrong, but I don't want to discuss it with you over the phone."

That baffled Kira as Mencheres gently nudged her along into the car, stopping when Gorgon called for him.

The blond eyed both of them with concern, only having heard part of their conversation. "Is Tina alright?"

Mencheres grimaced, how to answer that? "We are unsure. She called Kira in tears, but hasn't offered much of an explanation. Thomas left her, that is all we are aware."

A brief flash of green flared in Gorgon's eyes, the reminder of his feelings for Tina making Mencheres grimace, before he moved to take the driver's seat. "I'll drive, Kira needs you and I want to check on Tina as well."

Mencheres gave no fight, offering the keys and taking the seat next to Kira as she reassured her sister that they were on their way now.

The worry practically flowing off Kira made Mencheres pull her tighter against his side. The small square box in his pocket digging against his thigh reminding him of what he had planned for this morning. Had things gone to plan, in just a few hours he would have taken Kira back to the meadow where he'd put on the show with the flower petals and proposed.

Now as Kira tried to calm her sister, Mencheres knew that the proposal would have to wait. Tina needed her sister and Mencheres understood that. He could propose later, once everything died back down.

The drive to Tin'a place felt longer than the hour it took for them to reach it. Kira was out of the car and up the steps before Gorgon had even pulled to a stop.

Tina had the door open before Kira could raise a hand to knock. If she hadn't been a vampire the force behind her sister's collision would have sent her tumbling backward down the stairs, but instead she absorbed the impact and wrapped herself around Tina in a hug.

Her sister's shoulders shook and tears soaked through her shirt, the obvious distress her sister was going through yanking on her heart strings as she tried to offer what comfort she could.

Gently guiding both of them into the apartment, Kira sat Tina down on the couch and plopped a box of tissues in her lap. "Alright, now tell me everything."

Mencheres and Gorgon stayed back, not wanting to intrude but staying close enough to be of assistance should it be needed.

The story came slowly, every word making Kira's blood boil as her sister detailed her sickness in the mornings, her trip to the doctor and the discovery she'd made there.

"I'm pregnant and when I told Thomas he-." Her voice choked off, the pain closing her throat as Kira stroked her back.

After a moment, she managed to continue. "He said I lied to him when I told him I couldn't have kids. That the only reason he'd been willing to marry me was because he hadn't wanted children. He said that if I wanted him to stay then I would have to get rid of it. I can't do that though!"

Another round of sobs came from her, making Kira tighten her grip just enough without being painful. Oh that fuck was dead when she got ahold of him…

Well, not really, but he might be once Gorgon found him, if the murderous expression on his face was anything to go by.

Gorgon hesitantly stepped forward with a handkerchief, the offering making Kira pull back far enough for Tina to see it. She gave him a shaky smile as she accepted.

"I didn't see you there, I'm sorry you have to deal with this drama-." Gorgon shook his head, not wanting her to be embarrassed.

"When Kira received your call I insisted on coming. I only met you a few times but I was worried. You've been placed in a position no woman should have to face, but you have a terrific support system to get through it, no matter what you choose to do. If you want to keep the child, then we can all help you through the difficulties that lie ahead. If you don't want to do that, it is entirely up to you but I beg of you, please do not make that choice for anyone but yourself. You'll regret it for the rest of your life otherwise."

Tina sniffled quietly, mulling his words over before nodding. "I want to keep this child and I don't care if I have to lose Thomas for that to happen. After what he said, what he tried to make me do… I don't know if I could forgive him even if I wanted to."

Kira shot Gorgon a grateful look, she'd been just about to reassure Tina that whatever choice she made was entirely up to her but he'd beat her to it. Kira hadn't been blind to the looks Gorgon had thrown her sister when Tina wasn't looking, and she dearly wished he'd tried to pursue her before Thomas came into the picture. Maybe some of this mess wouldn't have happened…

Shaking her thoughts to the side, Kira soothed her sister. "Good, trust me I understand loving someone and having to let them go. It's better for everyone involved to go for a clean break and start over. It hurts, I won't lie about that, but." Kira paused to glance up at Mencheres with a smile. "It's worth it in the long run."

Mencheres felt his heart warm, the familiar fluttering feeling only Kira could produce racing through him as he smiled back. His dark lady had more power over him than any before her and he wouldn't have it any other way.

Tina's thoughts pulled him from his contented thoughts, How am I even going to afford a kid? I'm only just getting back on my feet from being sick.

Even if Tina hadn't been Kira's sister, he would have helped. She was making a brave choice, choosing to take on a child from a man who was the scum of the earth because she couldn't be parted with the featus. There would be many difficulties in her future that came from parenthood, but she wouldn't face them alone.

"I can offer assistance in that regard." It was the first time he'd directly spoken to her since they'd arrived, the sound of his voice making Tina jump.

"What-?" Seeing her confusion, Kira knew where it came from.

"He can read minds."

Tina stared in complete shock before what he was replying to clicked and she flushed in embarrassment. "You don't have to…"

Kira looked between them with obvious confusion but said nothing. If it was important, Mencheres would tell her later. She didn't have to wait though, because Tina saw her confusion and hesitantly answered it.

"I was wondering how I was going to afford a kid, what with just starting to recover from my illness…"

Kira gave a noise of acknowledgement, so that was what had her sister so worried. Seeing her sister's resistance to the idea of Mencheres helping, she offered. "I get not wanting to rely on anyone else, but how about this? You come live with us in our ridiculously big house at least until the kid is born and you're on your feet again. I'll be more than happy to babysit whenever you need it when you want to get a job. If it still bugs you then maybe you could do small things around the house to help out."

She knew her sister was just like her in the regards of not wanting to live somewhere for free. Kira still chose to help around the house despite the staff telling her repeatedly that she didn't have to. She'd for the most part taken over gardening, which Mencheres had no objections to. Quite a few times she'd even managed to drag Mencheres down into the dirt with her.

She had not been prepared for seeing Mencheres in jeans, the mental picture almost making her daze out before she forced her attention to the present. Focus on your sister now, drool over him later.

Tina hesitantly nodded, looking to Mencheres for his approval which he easily gave. "I would allow you to live with us indefinitely without you doing anything, of course I have no problem with this."

So, after another glance around the room, Tina nodded. "Alright, but if you ever want me to leave just tell me."

The uncertainty in her voice clawed at Kira's heart. Rewrapping her arms around Tina, she reassured. "That isn't going to happen Tiny T, but to put your mind at ease if we fall into an alternate universe and I get tired of you then I will tell you."

The statement got a watery chuckle, as she had wanted it to. "Alright, how about we head to the supermarket and grab some junk food. This sounds like a movie night is desperately needed."

Tina gave a small smile and a nod. "Yeah, today has been insane. Can we pick up chocolate?"

Kira snorted, "Can we pick up chocolate? Is that even a question?" The teasing did wonders for pulling Tina's mood out of the gutter and Gorgon jumped in to offer his assistance.

"If you two would like, I could run to the store so you can pack and get settled?" Kira nodded, knowing that Tina was exhausted and wouldn't want to be around people right now.

"Thanks, I think we'll take you up on that. Give me a minute and I'll make a list."


	44. Territorial

Leila breezed though the halls of her and Vlad's home, her strides short with her quickened pace as she searched for her husband. Ever since Cat and Bones had come for a visit, with one of Vlad's old exes in tow to Leila's chagrin, she'd been uneasy.

While she knew Vlad would never cheat, they'd been through entirely too much and he wasn't the type to do such things to begin with, the thought of being around anyone who'd been with her husband as intimately as she had made her uncomfortable. It certainly didn't help that Annette was super model gorgeous and while Leila had gained more confidence since she'd started her relationship with Vlad, it still was nowhere near Vlad's own.

The horrid woman had picked up on Leila's discomfort nearly immediately, despite her best attempts to hide it. Leila almost wished she didn't know that tidbit, but what with Annette introducing herself bluntly as one of Vlad's old lovers there hadn't been much Leila could do about that.

Her obvious attempt to cause distress in Leila had immediately enraged Vlad, for why else would Annette see fit to introduce herself in such a way other than to hurt his wife. Before he could start in on Annette, Leila had stopped him.

She'd dealt with worse than that hussy before and she'd told him so. It wasn't worth putting her on a pole, no matter how appealing the thought was at the moment, just because she thought she could come into their home and cause them problems. Leila had been sure to stare right into Annette's eyes when she'd continued on to flatly declare that nothing she could do would come between them.

The reassurance had calmed Vlad, but he made a point of ordering Annette to wait in a guest room while Cat talked with him. Leila would have gone with them, but Vlad had mentioned the reason he'd wanted to talk to Cat was something to do with a surprise for her, so she had to sit this one out.

His concern was touching and she'd be lying if she said watching Vlad order Annette to stay in one of the guestrooms until their business was done didn't satisfy her. By the flash of protectiveness she'd felt before he walled himself off, he knew that Annette was a valid threat to Leila's confidence and like usual for him he'd made sure to deal with it in his own way.

Her husband was romantic in his own terms and she'd have him no other way. But even as she thought back on how he'd handled Annette, she couldn't shake the discomfort that something was wrong.

Just as she reached their bedroom door, the last place she'd expected him since he'd been talking with Cat in his study, she heard a very familiar feminine voice that should _not_ be anywhere near their room.

Before she could investigate, a flash of burning rage shattered the wall Vlad had put up and concern had her nearly running through the doors. The sight that met her made her own wrath lurch to the surface.

Annette had Vlad's head clamped between her hands, her mouth trying to devour his as smoke poured off his arms. Amidst her own newfound bloodlust for the red head, Leila felt a potent disgust and violation that had her moving to intercept before she could think to do otherwise.

Before Vlad had a chance to turn her into a walking bomb, Leila's whip lashed out and wrapped tightly around Annette's waist. With a sharp movement, Leila flung her across the room, feeling a vindictive pleasure when she heard bones snap and flesh burn under her whip.

Vlad spun to face Leila, understanding dawning as he glowered at Annette. He thought she might try something to further needle Leila's confidence but he'd never expected _this_. Seeing the carefully blank expression on Leila's face, he moved to reassure her. Surely she didn't believe he would do _anything_ with this English whore?

Leila cut off anything he was about to say, his worry abating to be replaced with pride at her words. "You seem to have acquired a bitch that won't stop humping your leg there honey. Unless you have a complaint, I'll be retraining her to _not_ hump people that aren't just taken, but _very _taken."

A smile curled his lips as he easily moved to wrap his arm around his wife and tug her against his side. "No objections at all My Darling, however might I suggest moving this to the dungeons? They are built for these things and our chambers are no place for retraining."

Leila leaned against him but didn't relax, still poised and ready to rip Annette apart the second she made a move toward Vlad. How dare that bitch, there's no way she thought Vlad was going to leave Leila so she must have planned it for Leila to walk in just when she did in an attempt to start a fight if not break them up. As broken up as a vampire marriage could get at least…

Rage and pity curled through her in equal parts, did this tramp seriously think she'd ever see something like that and _not_ take Vlad's side?

She couldn't stop her scoff at the thought, turning to Vlad she responded while crinkling her nose at Annette's scent that now clung to his front. "Valid point, but you need a shower first and foremost. You wreak like that whore and while I know you didn't have a willing part in that, her scent is going to drive me nuts until it's gone. I'll drag her back to the dungeon by her hair and if she resists," she stopped to give a careless shrug. "I'll start cutting off limbs until she isn't resisting anymore."

The ruthless gleam that forewarned of vampire territorialism in her eyes told him that she wasn't bluffing in the slightest. Out of the corner of his eye he watched Annette shudder while trying to crawl further back into the wall she'd crashed into. The sight brought satisfaction and pride. Usually he would personally handle her after such a stunt, but seeing the rage curling through Leila at the former whore, he made an exception. Had a man tried such a thing with his wife, he would be the one to handle it. While she was more than capable, instinct demanded that he rip apart anyone who touched her in such a way. He wouldn't refuse her the right to do the same.

"I whole heartedly approve of your plan, before I go take that shower though…" He tightened his arm around her waist until she was plastered to his side. Using his free hand, he wound his fingers into Leila's hair and pulled her into a kiss that had her toes curling in her shoes.

She could have purred in happiness for his obvious show in front of his ex. Mentally she made a note to thoroughly thank him later for letting her deal with this, she knew it wouldn't be easy especially considering Annette had touched him in such a way without his permission. She'd make sure he knew she appreciated it.

And if her hand that wasn't charged happened to slip down to squeeze his behind in full view of where Annette still laid crumpled against the wall? Well, it was completely accidental on Leila's part and no one would know aside from his ex…

Feeling the squeeze, Vlad smirked into the kiss. Leila didn't get possessive often, this being one of the few times he'd seen it in their relationship, but each time this side of her came out to play it was insanely arousing. Nothing made him happier than seeing that glint in her eyes that promised an excellent evening of being claimed by her.

Mentally, he began moving around the various meetings he previously planned for today. He knew that his afternoon would need to be free now, and possibly tomorrow's as well depending on how late Leila kept him captive in their bedroom. Not that he would be resisting… Thankfully none of the meetings were vital and could be easily shuffled off, even if they were important he couldn't bring himself to mind. What was some minor paperwork or dealing with a local noble's ruffled feathers compared to the night he was about to have?

Feeling himself beginning to react, he pulled back from her mouth reluctantly. Later, he reminded himself. Before anything happened, he needed to wash that wretch's scent off him. Even if it didn't bother Leila, it immensely irritated him.

"Apologies, but I had a foul taste in my mouth that I wanted to be rid of and what better way than tasting you?"

He knew that Leila didn't mind in the slightest, but the barb sent Annette's way made a smile tug across Leila's mouth, the amusement clearly showing as he turned to leave.

"Be quick darling, I will most likely need your assistance reaching certain areas and you can always play with her later."

He caught the green flash of Leila's eyes in the reflection of a shield above the fireplace as he left for the bathroom with the absolute certainty that it wouldn't be long until she joined him.

Leila watched as Vlad's back disappeared into the bathroom, the sound of his clothes hitting the floor and the water starting making her ache to follow him and run her hands over every inch of his skin that _she_ had touched.

Forcing herself to focus, she moved toward Annette's crumpled form with purpose. The sooner she dumped this bitch in the dungeon, the sooner she could join Vlad in what sounded like a very fun evening.

She'd never really had reason to be territorial with Vlad before, what with his no touching rule he kept away from women without needing to be asked. She'd been lucky in that regard so far, but seeing this sleaze rubbing on him made a rage unlike any other bloom in her.

Leila's mother had suffered for years because of a woman who knowingly slept with a married man. It hadn't only been Hugh's fault, after all it took two to cheat and the other woman had known he'd been married when they started fucking one another. That woman had gotten a thrill out of taking Hugh from her mother, despite having never met her mother before. The fact that this tramp in front of her was of the same ilk as the person who had caused so much pain in her childhood made her rage bubble dangerously below the surface.

Leila didn't give her a chance to get away before her hand fisted into the red hair and yanked her up. When she started to tug away, she snapped her whip in warning and a reminder of her previous promise. Annette went completely stiff and pliant as Leila dragged her bodily from her and Vlad's room.

The guards did a double take as she passed them, but wisely said nothing. One quietly began to follow her, Samir knew that he might be needed and it was better he was readily available should that be the case.

Leila began to talk to Annette as she moved with clipped strides toward the basement. "Did you really think that I was going to break it off with Vlad because I saw you force yourself on him? Even if I _did_ believe Vlad was the type to cheat, I still would have stayed to hear his side of the story."

Annette didn't answer, her silence confusing Leila until Bones turned the corner and both his eyebrows went up at the picture they made. Cat was one step behind him, but instead of the protectiveness Leila could easily see in Bones's eyes, Cat's held amusement.

"What is going on here?" Leila felt the tension in the air thicken until she could cut it with her whip. If she wasn't so used to Vlad and his terrifying moods, Bones's tone might have scared her. But she lived with the dragon, and Bones was nothing more than an angry kitten in comparison to Vlad on a bad day. Despite her lack of fear, she felt Samir tense from behind her. Her loyal friend was ready to spring on Bones the second he breathed wrong in her direction. Focusing on the now, she addressed his question.

"Your bitch decided to hump the leg of my husband. Specifically she had her tongue down his throat and timed it so I walked in just in time to see it. If you didn't want me to handle it then you should have kept your dog on a shorter leash…Or trained her not to hump married people." Leila put as much cold indifference in her tone as possible, channeling her husband's icy anger and Cat flinched back and Bones paled.

"Bloody fucking hell Annette, not again!" The statement was paired with his hands coming up to run through his hair in frustration while Cat let out a low whistle.

"You really fucked up this time. I doubt Bones is going to be able to get you out of this one unscathed. Didn't you learn from when I beat your ass in our fight?"

Bones sent her a frustrated look, "Apparently she didn't."

It would have been amusing if Leila wasn't impatient to get back to a very naked Vlad who she dearly wanted to run her hands over every inch of his skin. Pushing past the pleasantries, she addressed Bones.

"This is a common problem I take it. Well, since whatever you did last time didn't stick, I guess it's my turn to attempt to teach her a lesson. I know Vlad will want his own say…after we're finished with out evening."

Cat smirked at the last sentence, knowing full well what it meant. When Bones looked like he was going to argue, she tugged on his arm to pull him away. "Honey, if someone tried this shit with me you'd be tearing them apart with your _teeth_. We knew this was a possibility when Annette specifically requested to come visit Vlad, we warned her of the repercussions, she chose this."

All of the fight left Bones in a whoosh of air. Reluctantly he wrapped his arm around Cat before nodding, to Annette's disbelief. "Very well. Leila, while I wouldn't allow anyone in Annette's position to live, I ask that whatever you do let her still be above ground and not withering when you give her back."

That was easy to do since Leila had no plans to kill her, harm her until she wished she was dead? Absolutely, but killing in anything other than self defence would never be her thing.

She nodded, "Wasn't going to kill her anyway. But you're going to have a fun time convincing Vlad not to."

As she continued her path to the dungeon, she heard Cat let out a hiss and Bones groan. "Fuck, she's right. I'm only surprised Vlad hasn't killed her _yet_."

Cat's words made Leila smile, if only she knew that he had done it out of respect for her. Shaking off the warmth the thought gave her, Leila nodded to the guard of the dungeon as she passed him.

The people bowed to her as she passed, no one batting an eye at her physically dragging their 'guest' through the halls despite the oddity of the sight. Then again, they could probably hear some of what happened, she'd left the door open in her haste to separate Annette from Vlad after all. If anything, they'd be happy to see Annette's treatment after pulling such a trick on their beloved _voivode_.

"I am fifty two flavors of done with you and your bullshit. Make no mistake, the next time I come down here it will be with Vlad and you _won't_ like what we do. But I have a considerably more fun night ahead of me than you do. So we'll see you tomorrow."

That being said, she threw Annette into the nearest cell and turned to the guard. "Hold her here until Vlad and I come back. It will be awhile. No one is allowed to see her and she doesn't leave until then."

The guard bowed smartly before taking up a post outside of her cell. Leila thanked him before making her way back toward their room with clipped strides, all but skipping steps in her haste to get back to her wet and soapy husband.

That was never something to miss under normal circumstances, but right now? She wanted more than anything to devour every inch of him until she was satisfied that both of them smelled of nothing but each other. And she knew just the way to do that…

SMUT FROM HERE DOWN

The bathroom was completely hidden in steam, Vlad's form easily seen from the open shower door. Leila stripped soundlessly, taking a moment to be amused that for once it was _her_ coming into his shower while reeking of the dungeon.

Vlad didn't turn despite having to have heard her, instead he continued to lather his skin without pause. Her arms came up to wrap around him from behind, content for the moment to plaster herself to his back as she trailed kisses down from his neck.

Some of her territorialism drained out at finally having him in her arms and far away from Annette. The amount left over would be there until she got the last of Annette's scent off him, but that wouldn't be far off…

Vlad stopped her progression of open mouthed kisses across the plane of his back by turning until she faced his chest. His hands came up to cradle her jaw, the heat of his hands making her lean his without thought.

"While that is nice, I want more." His mouth claimed hers in a scorching kiss in the next second as he backed her against the wall of the shower. His body bracketed hers as he started to grind forward, the sensual rub between her thighs sparking her arousal as she groaned into his mouth.

He'd managed to clean off most of the scent in the time she was gone, thankfully, if he hadn't she wouldn't have been able to focus on this. She was just clear headed enough to drag both hands into his hair and pull him into another kiss as he let his hands fall to her thighs. Lifting her up, he nudged her legs around his hips and pressed her back against the wall as he used his free hand to guide his length to her entrance.

Waiting until she pulled back, he leaned forward until his mouth brushed her ear and growled in the same instant he sheathed himself inside of her. "I'm _yours_, no one else's. And you, my lovely bride, are ravishing when you decide to stake that claim."

The sudden fullness and his words wrestled a moan from her, one that he felt reverberate through him from their connection. Burying her teeth into his shoulder, she heaved herself down on him, setting a punishing pace as her nails bit into his chest where they'd slid down to trace over his nipples.

His legs nearly lurched out from under him at her sudden, only his arm lashing out to balance them against the wall keeping them standing while she drove down onto him with a passion born from rage that someone else would dare touch what was hers.

Giving up on standing, he slid both of them down to the floor and pressed her flat to the wall. She hissed in frustration at the sudden stop to her rapid pace, but the hiss broke off into a moan as he took over. Spreading her legs further, he lifted her just high enough to hit as deep as he could go while keeping his current pace. The feel of him burrowing deeper than he'd ever been before sent her nails raking across his back, the feel of something other than water under her nails not registering as he moaned and rocked against her.

Every thrust seemed to reach into her and claim all he touched as his, branding and molding her channel to him as his body heat burned almost painfully with every slide of his cock. Removing her teeth from his shoulder, she slammed against him. Her current position was nice and all but she wanted to be more active in their love making and this was _not_ the position for that.

She felt Vlad's chuckle against her ear, but he switched their positions without complaint until she straddled him against the wall. She didn't waste a minute, shifting her knees to cradle his hips as her hand reached down to grip and position his length, before allowing gravity to hilt him inside her.

Throwing her head back at the easy slide, her moan was broken on a harsh cry as his hips pistoned up from their place under her. Meeting his thrusts motion for motion, she lost herself to the feeling as her peak inched closer. The thickening length inside of her pulsed, both warning signs that his end was near too.

Allowing the last of her control to slide away, she entangled her fingers in his hair and dragged him into a kiss as she braced above him. Focusing her energy, she used the muscle control she'd gained from years of gymnastics to tighten her channel until it locked around him. The action brought his movements to a grinding halt as her muscles held him in place, not allowing for him to even pull out.

A choked shout came from below her as he twisted his hips to grind against her clit, dragging her with him into his climax as she vibrated around him. If she was still human she'd be panting for air and possibly going in search of the nearest cigarette but instead she slumped forward while ignoring the pain in her knees. Vlad caught her, lifting her just enough to slide out while settling her against his chest.

The water ran over both of them, washing away the evidence of their activities as they came down from their respective highs.

Vlad recovered first, to neither of their surprise. Turning off the water, he carried her to their bed before collapsing over top of her like a living blanket.

The warmth that poured off him made her cuddle closer, enjoying the scent that was solely _them_ as she slid in and out of a contented doze.

"I love you Leila, never forget that."

His words dragged her back to the present, confusion painting her face as she looked up at him. What was he-? Oh!

It clicked in the next instant what he was talking about. Lifting her hands to cradle his jaw, she dropped a languid kiss against his mouth. "I know you do and I love you too. Always will. Nothing is ever going to change that. For the record, I know you're nothing like Hugh. I didn't for a minute believe that ruse from earlier, because I know you. You would never cheat, it's so far beneath you it's not funny."

He hummed in agreement, the vibration against her cheek making her curl closer and inhale their scent, happy to finally not smell _her_ anymore. Again, he dragged her out of her daze when he spoke.

"I would never disrespect you or myself in such a way. Besides, you are the only woman I will ever want, and nothing will ever change that."

Warmth rolled through Leila as the bond opened and his love wrapped around her with the most comforting hug that only he was capable of providing. Melting into his chest, she dropped a kiss above where his heart laid silent. "You're all I've ever wanted, all that's been missing from my life and I'm happy to finally have you. Nothing will tear us apart again, we'll massacre anything that tries."

His agreeing hum was muffled in her ears as the dawn drained the rest of her energy. His arms wrapped around her, tightening into a cradle as she allowed sleep to claim her.

"Have sweet dreams, My Darling."


End file.
